


Come Home With Me

by rissaleigh49



Series: Any Way the Wind Blows [1]
Category: Lore Olympus (Webcomic)
Genre: Apollo is his own warning, Asspollo, Big idiot squad, F/M, Fated Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Assault, Inspired by Hadestown, Persephone is a cinnamon roll, Romance, Sorry Not Sorry, big blue idiot, really just the song titles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-02
Updated: 2020-02-21
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:53:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,262
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22094398
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rissaleigh49/pseuds/rissaleigh49
Summary: Persephone learns that not everyone's intentions are good, but the consequences can be.ORThe one where the Fates get sick of watching these two dorks dance around each other so they give a little push in the right direction.
Relationships: Hades/Persephone (Lore Olympus)
Series: Any Way the Wind Blows [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1590340
Comments: 118
Kudos: 566





	1. Come Home With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So we begin...

Persephone rubbed her temples in an attempt to will away her headache. She wished she was surprised by Hestia’s manipulation, but that would be a lie. In fact, if she really thought about it, she had been suspicious since the day Hestia had taken away the coat Hades gave her.

The only surprising part of the whole day was the Fates coming to see her at work to inform her of Hestia’s true intentions. Active interference was out of character for the three goddesses - at least when it came to the lives of Gods. They were more interested in the lives of mortals; that was, after all, their job. They merely served as observers and archivist when it came to the lives of Olympians, though Persephone doubted she would know if they had interfered in something before.

Her confrontation with Hestia had been… eye opening, to say the least. At first, Hestia had acted affronted, feigning hurt that her little “Kore-Cob” could accuse her of such a thing. When Persephone that the Fates had informed her otherwise, Hestia burst into tears, saying that she was doing it for “Persephone’s own good”, before placing the blame back on Persephone’s shoulders for not “behaving appropriately”.

If Persephone had ever been uncertain about her decision to leave TGOEM, Hestia’s true colors solidified the choice in her mind. The only thing left to do was to tell Artemis. 

And her mother.

Fortunately, both tasks could wait until morning. Right now, Persephone only longed for a hot shower and her bed. 

As she approached the door to Artemis’s home, she saw her duffle bag on the porch, with Hades’ jacket strewn across the top and a note taped to the door. 

_Perse,_

_Hestia called. I can’t have you staying here anymore with you no longer being a novitiate maiden. I’m sure Eros or Apollo will be able to help you._

_I’m sorry._

_A_

Persephone sighed. As always, it was all or nothing with Artemis. She heard that Persephone no longer wanted to be an eternal maiden, so she assumed she would become some sort of sex-crazed heathen. With tears in her eyes, Persephone shrugged on the jacket, his faint lingering scent her only source of comfort. Slinging the bag over her shoulder, she made her way down the sidewalk as she weighed her options. 

She couldn’t call Eros now. With Ares being back, his already tumultuous household was even more chaotic than normal. She wouldn’t add to the weight he felt on his shoulders. Obviously Apollo was out of the question, which meant Hermes was too. Feeling she had no other options, Persephone set off for the Underworld. 

* * *

“Kore? This is unexpected - wait, is that one of Hades’ jackets?” Hecate asked, surveying the small goddess up and down. 

Persephone sighed. “Hi Hecate, I…. yes, it is. He let me borrow it the other day. Can I come in?”

Hecate opened the door wider to let Persephone in, revealing the only god she actually wanted to see right now.

“Hades?” she squeaked, his presence catching her off guard. She wasn’t prepared to see him right now, no matter how much she wanted to. 

“Kore? What - Sweetness, have you been crying?”

That did it for her. The concern in his eyes, coupled with the way he called her Sweetness, crushed all of the resolve she had built up on her way over here. She choked out a sob, her head falling into her hands. 

Hades rushed to her, falling to his knees and gather her against his chest, rules be damned. He made eye contact with Hecate over her head, who just shrugged and went into the other room to give them some privacy. 

“Sweetness, please, talk to me. I can’t help you if I don’t know what’s wrong,”

So she told him - about the Fates, and Hestia’s manipulation. How it was never about what was best for her, but for their image and to encourage more chastity among the mortal priestesses. About how Artemis threw her out with a note, not even letting her defend her decision. About how she didn’t want to drop out of school, how there was no way she could go back to her mother now, and how she had no idea what she was going to do from here on out. And when she was finished she looked into his eyes, silently pleading with him to say something that would fix everything. 

After a moment of silence, he kissed her forehead, pulling her closer, hoping to convey some comfort and safety in his embrace. “I am so sorry Kore. You didn’t deserve any of that. As your friend, I’m angry at how you’ve been treated, but I am so, so proud of you,”

“But what do I do now?” she asked meekly, snuggling deeper into his arms. 

“Come home with me?” he asked without thinking. Persephone froze, and he wanted to kick himself. _Of course she wouldn’t want to come home with you, you creepy old man. What could she ever see in -_

“Won’t Minthe be upset? I mean doesn’t she hate me?” 

_Oh. She doesn’t know_. Hades wanted to smack himself in the face. He hadn’t gotten a chance to tell her yet. “It's not really any of her business… we, uh. I broke up with her. Right after I left your TGOEM meeting actually,” He said, pushing her back gently to look at her directly. “I know we’ve only discussed this twice, but I wasn’t entirely honest with you. I l-lo-” he sighed, rubbing his hand down his face. This was so difficult. “I know this will be a lot to take in, but you’re my best friend. I know we haven’t known each other very long, and this will be terrifying and I will never know what you could ever possibly see in me but you make me want to be the best version of myself and I would do anything for you because… because I love you,”

Persephone smiled with a sneaking suspicion that this was what the Fates had been up to all along. Hades had been alone for so long and Persephone almost consigned herself to the same for all of eternity… they just couldn’t stand by and let it happen. She leaned forward to give Hades a lovely chaste kiss. “I love you too,” she whispered when he finally pulled away. “Take me home”. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! This is my first shot at a Lore Olympus fic, and is intended to be part of a 4 part series. Let's see how this goes. 
> 
> All intellectual property (with the exception of plot and the character of Eris) belongs to Lore Olympus Author Rachel Smythe.
> 
> As a community, fanfic writers have become aware that some readers believe that Rachel is “stealing” ideas from us. Nothing could be farther from the truth. Any similarity between our works of fanfiction and the Lore Olympus canon is due to the authors’ use of common source material, in the form of Greek myths, and being a superfan and paying attention to Rachel’s details. Any time there is an overlap of plot, it is due to coincidence or careful work on the fanfic author’s part. When these details show up in canon, the fanfic authors feel nothing but joy upon having guessed correctly.


	2. First Night

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hades and Persephone go home. Hades is awkward. Persephone is tired.

Hades pulled up his driveway and placed the car in park. He looked over at the small pink goddess in his passenger seat, suddenly uneasy at bringing her into his home. What if she didn’t like it? What if he came on too strong? What if-

“Hades?” Persephone reaches out and lightly touched his arm. “Are you okay? You seemed far away,”

He sighed. “Sorry sweetness, I guess I’m just a bit nervous. I don’t want to overstep, and I want you to be happy, but I just don’t know how it’s all going to play out from here,”

She gave him a gentle smile and squeezed his hand. “We’ll figure it out together,”

* * *

Hades showed Persephone back to the guest room she had stayed in the night Eros and Aphrodite stashed her in the back of his car. He pointed out his bedroom along the way, a blush coming to his cheeks as he tried to explain it away. 

“I-I-I mean in c-case you needed anything during the n-n-night,” he said, feeling like he could kick himself. _She probably thinks you’re a perverted old man. Way to ruin something before it even starts you big blue idiot._

But Persephone just nodded with a gentle smile. “I think all I need right now is a shower and some rest. Thank you,”

“Of course. You should find everything you need in the bathroom attached to your room,” Hades paused, sticking his hands in his pockets awkwardly. “Um… have you eaten?” He said lamely, unsure what he was supposed to do now. 

“No, but I’m not that hungry. Please, don’t go out of your way for me, I can fend for myself,”

“Nonsense! I’ll get something together for us. Enjoy your shower, and I’ll make sure the food is ready when you get out,”. 

Persephone smiled gratefully and leaned up to kiss his cheek. “Thank you Hades. Really, you’re doing so much more for me than I could ever ask for,”

Hades tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, causing more blue flowers to spring up in the crown she’d had since she walked through Hecate’s door. He realized suddenly that he was the cause of them. How had he not noticed that before? 

* * *

Hades had a moment of panic when he came down to the kitchen, trying to figure out what to make Persephone for dinner. _I don’t have anything here to make for a vegetarian. Why don’t I have anything to make for a vegetarian? Big blue idiot why weren’t you prepared!_

A small yap got his attention, and he turned to see Cordon Bleu standing right by the drawer of take out menus. 

“CB you’re a genius! I knew you weren’t totally evil,” he chuckled, patting the dogs head as his fished through the menus.He finally settled on his favorite Italian place, ordering eggplant parm, roasted mushrooms, and manicotti. He busied himself with feeding the dogs and setting the dining room table for their dinner. It wasn’t until the food arrived and he was unpacking it all that he heard Persephone’s footsteps coming towards him. 

“It smells wonderful. Is that eggplant?” she asked, peering around his shoulder. 

“It is. I hope I chose okay,”

“More than okay,” she smiled at him, taking her seat and loading her plate up with food. Hades smiled and followed suit. 

* * *

The rest of the evening was quiet. Persephone didn’t say much during dinner, simply nodding along to whatever Hades talked about to fill the silence. _She probably thinks you like the sound of your own voice you moron._

“Hades?” She said quietly once they had finished putting away the leftovers. 

“Yes Kore?”

“I don’t… I’d rather not go to bed yet. I don’t know what you do in the evenings, and I know you probably get up super early and have no desire to humor me but -“

“Woah woah woah little goddess, slow down. At this point I usually take the dogs for another walk, and then either go for a swim or do some more work. Your presence is a welcome change to my routine,”

“Promise?” She looked up at him with wide, nervous eyes. 

“Promise. Would you like to watch tv?” 

Persephone nodded, grabbing his hand as she followed him to the living room. Hades tried to hide his grin, but was unsuccessful. Every little touch made him feel light. Happy. He’d forgotten what that really felt like, and this little goddess has reminded him in less than a day. 

He handed her the remote when he sat on the couch, wanting her to feel comfortable. He didn’t usually watch much tv, so he didn’t particularly care what was on. He just wanted to be in her presence. 

She finally settled on “The Great Olympian Bake-Off”, snuggling herself against his side, laying her head on his chest. Hades had not expected her to be so comfortable and affectionate all at once. Not that he was complaining. This was just new for him. 

“Is this okay?” Persephone asked meekly, looking up at him. For what felt like the hundredth time that evening, he wanted to kick himself. He hadn’t moved at all since she sat next to him. 

“Of course sweetness,” he said, kissing the top of her head and wrapping his arm securely around her waist. _Smooth._ He thought to himself. _Big blue idiot gets one right._

* * *

Hades woke up with a stiff neck, wondering how the hell he had managed to fall asleep sitting up. It must have been because he was so comfortable, cuddling his Kore...,

 _Shit, Kore!_ He thought, looking around for her. _Did I snore? Do I talk in my sleep? Two thousand years and you think I’d know if I did, but…. Fates, I hope I didn’t do anything to scare her…_ Hades rambled on in his mind, not noticing the blanket draped across his lap. He went to pick up the remote to turn off the television when he noticed a note on the coffee table. 

_Hades,_

_I didn’t want to disturb you, you just looked so peaceful. I know you said you didn’t get a lot of sleep so I thought it best to let you get it while you could._

_See you in the morning,_

_Kore x_

Hades smiled, realizing she was still here. He folded the note and stuck it in his breast pocket, making his way towards his bedroom. Even if he didn’t sleep anymore, he’d prefer to lay in bed before getting ready for work. 

As he made his way back to his room, he heard quiet snobs and sniffles coming from one of his guest rooms. Knowing there was only one person that could possibly be crying in his house, Hades all but sprinted to her door. 

“Sweetness? Are you okay?” he called gently, not wanting to frighten her. When he didn’t receive an answer, he warned he that he was coming in. 

The sight upon opening the door was shocking for Hades, to say the least. The floor was covered in dead poppy and lily petals. Persephone’s hair was so long it was spilling over both sides of the bed, twisted thorns weaving through the tangled locks. She was tangled in her blankets, clearly still asleep, in the throws of a nightmare. Hades sat down on the edge of the bed, trying to wake her without frightening her. 

“Kore, Sweetness, it’s only a dream,” he whispered, wiping the hair from her face. She was sweating, her expression pained. “I’m here sweetness, you’re safe,” he tried shaking her shoulder gently, and she immediately shot up, straight as a rod. 

“Take a deep breath Kore, you’re all right. It’s over,” he said, patting her shoulder. He didn’t miss the slight flinch when he touched her. 

“I’m sorry,” she said breathless and shaky. “Did I wake you?”

“Not at all, I was finally on my way up to bed when I thought you heard you crying. I take it you had a nightmare?” she nodded. “I’m sorry. I know how real they can feel.Would you like to talk about it?”

“Eventually, yes,”

“And right now?”

“I just don’t want to be alone,” she looked down, speaking so quietly he almost missed it. 

“And you don’t have to be. I, uh, I mean this in the most innocent way possible, but um… would you like to sleep, with me, tonight?”

Persephone looked at him with wide, tear-filled eyes. Before he could even process that look, she threw herself into his arms, whispering “thank you” into his neck. 

Hades felt his voice catch in his throat, so instead he just held her a little tighter. After a minute he easily picked her up and carried her to his bedroom, hopeful that together, they could get a decent night’s sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can look find slight meaning in the petals around Persephone's room, but mostly I took them from the song "Flowers" from Hades town. Also there is a short one-shot of Persephone's nightmare based on that song. As always please read and review :)


	3. As You Wish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The next morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Persephone tells Hades what Apollo did. Other than that its just 1500 words of big blue idiot and tiny pink cinnamon roll being adorable. Enjoy!

Persephone woke up feeling well rested. Better than she had felt in a long time, though she was a little confused by the arm wrapped firmly around her waist. 

_Oh._

Persephone tried to roll over without waking Hades, wanting to get a look at him without him knowing. However, the arm tightened its hold on her. 

“No,” he said, his voice gravelly with sleep. “‘S too early,”

Something in Persephone’s stomach flipped, but it was not fear. It was something hot and delicious, coupled with affection at the realization her fearsome king of the underworld was freaking _adorable_. 

“Hades,” she giggled, trying to wiggle free. Not that she really wanted to get away from him, but it was a game to her at this point.

“Little goddess,” he whispered into her ear, making her shiver. “I said **_no_ **,” he smiled into her neck, kissing her there. Persephone signed in content; no one had ever made her feel like this before. 

“Fine,” she breathed. “I _guess_ I can tolerate this a little longer,” she teased. She leaned back against his chest, and Hades hummed contentedly, curling himself around her small form. 

“Love you,” he said sleepily.

“Love you too,” Persephone yawned, drifting off again. She could get used to this. 

* * *

Later, when they both woke up for real, it was surprisingly normal. With a chaste kiss Persephone went off to her own room to ready herself for the day (and Hades smiled to himself, ecstatic at the simple thought of part of his home belonging to her). By the time Hades dressed and made his way downstairs, Persephone was already down there, starting the coffee maker and feeding his dogs. 

“Thank you Sweetness,” he said kissing her cheek. “But you really didn’t have to do any of this,”

“I know,” she smiled up at him, making him lose his breath for a second. “But I wanted to,”

Hades cleared his throat. “Well, is there anything I can do for you in return?”

“Well… yes actually. You could help me cut my hair,”

Hades nodded, pulling out a pair of scissors from a random drawer. He cut a straight line just above her shoulders, the strands turning into petals once cut. “Is this okay or do you want it shorter?” he asked.

“This is fine for today,” she said, absentmindedly running her fingers through the lengths.”I’m sorry about the mess,”

“No worries. Honestly, Cerebus makes a bigger mess than you do. I’ll just call someone to clean it up while we’re at work. I’ll have them do the guest room as well?” he asked. Persephone nodded as she rummaged around in his (almost empty) refrigerator. Hades felt another jolt of happiness as he realized just how comfortable he was having her in his home. 

“Hades?”

“Hm?” he responded, sipping his coffee. 

“Are you - I mean is it….” Persephone signed, crossing her arms across her chest as she leaned against the fridge door. “How long would you like me to stay?” she asked nervously. 

Hades almost spit out his coffee. He was not expecting to have this conversation this soon, or this early in the day. “Kore,” He began, placing his coffee on the counter so he could take her hands. “I once told you that I would pay you a salary to barge in on every aspect of my life. I wasn’t really kidding,”

“Sooo…. A while?”

Hades chuckled. “As long as you want,”

“Careful, I might never leave,”

 _That’d be too much to wish for,_ he thought. Instead he just shrugged. “Ready to go?”

“I suppose. Can we stop at Satyrbucks on the way in? Because you have **_nothing_ ** for breakfast here. Even your yogurt is expired!” 

Hades blushed, chagrined. “I’m sorry about that. I-I don’t cook a lot. Honestly Poseidon gets more use out of my kitchen than I do,”

“It’s okay. Maybe we can go shopping together after work? I know I said we should slow down but…”

“We’re already sleeping in the same bed?”

“Precisely,”

“Grocery shopping after work it is then,” Hades leaned down to give her a kiss. “Let’s get you some breakfast,”

* * *

Persephone sat in the passenger seat quietly eating her pomegranate danish and sipping her tea. There was a companionable silence between her and Hades as he drove them to Tower 1. Hades, however, was burning with questions from the night before. 

“So… you must have been having a really bad dream for your hair to grow that long,”

“Yeah I was. Thank you for being there,” she responded quietly, crinkling the bag from her scone between her fingers. 

“Of course sweetness… do you want to tell me about it?”

Persephone sighed. She knew she’d have to tell him sooner or later, but she was afraid he wouldn’t feel the same way about her. That he would think it was her own fault. She certainly felt that way, regardless of what Eros told her. “It wasn’t so much a dream, as it was a memory,” she offered. At least she wasn’t lying to him. 

“A memory?” what could have possibly happened to Kore in her short life for her to be that upset?

She merely nodded. “One of my first days in Olympus -” she cut herself off. She was trembling now, and something clicked in Hades brain. The last time she sat in that exact spot, scared and shaking. 

Apollo. 

Hades tightened his grip on the steering wheel, trying to rein in his anger. He didn’t want to frighten Persephone anymore, but he needed to know what happened. 

“Something happened… with Apollo?” he asked. He needed to be sure, because when he got his hands on that fuck stick, he was going to make sure the punishment fit the crime so perfectly Kore couldn’t accuse him of overreacting. 

He would never do anything to upset her, but he would also do anything to protect her. So he didn’t want a repeat of the eyeball incident. 

When Persephone nodded, Hades could no longer keep the venom out of his voice. “And what did that shitty little sun god do?” he asked between gritted teeth. 

Persephone winced. He was angry, but she realized, not with her, not yet. She needed to tell him, but more importantly, she _wanted_ to tell him. She trusted him, and it would feel so much better to _finally_ say the words out loud. And if Hades was going to be mad at her, let him. Better to face it head on. 

“He… he raped me,”

Hades slammed on the brakes involuntarily, all air leaving his lungs. Whatever he had expected her to say, it wasn’t _that_. 

“Hades!” Persephone screamed, putting her arms out to stop herself from crashing forward on the dashboard. “What are you doing?!”

“I’m sorry Kore, I just- fuck, I didn’t expect you to say _that_ ,” he took a deep breathe to help keep himself from screaming. “I want to kill him. Persephone, I want to tear him limb from limb and throw his arrogant head into the pits of Tartarus. I want to keep you in the underworld forever so you never have to be near him ever again. And more than anything I wish I could turn back time and stop him before he ever laid a hand on you,” Hades reached over and grabbed her hand. “But all I can do right now is say that I’m sorry. Sorry that it happened, sorry that it was one of the first things you experienced once you were out on your own, sorry that _that_ was the first experience you ever had of sex,” he took another deep breath, realizing he was rambling. “Are you okay?”

Persephone was shocked. “You’re not… you’re not mad at me?”

“Mad at you? Sweetness how could I ever be mad at you?”

“If I had been stronger, more forceful, stuck to my guns more -”

“Persephone I’m stopping you right there. **_No_ **. It would never be your fault. Someone decided to force themselves on you and that will never, ever, be something for you to apologize for. If anyone says otherwise, you can send them to me,”

Persephone squeezed his hand. “Thank you. I don’t want to _do_ anything about it. Not yet at least. So please, no throwing him in Tartarus,”

“Kore....”

“In my own time, please Hades?”

Hades sighed. As much as he wanted to punish Apollo, he had promised to discuss these things with Persephone first. And he could never deny her anything. “As you wish my love,”

“Thank you. Now, can we please go to work? I’d like to enjoy my first day as _not_ a TGOEM member by ogling my extremely handsome boss and I can’t do that if we never get to the office. 

Hades waggled his eyebrows her as he resumed their drive towards Tower 1. “You find me extremely handsome?”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Just shut up and drive,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, please leave comments and feedback. xoxo


	4. Wrong Answer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hera has a headache. Hades and Persephone go to work.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> warning for mild violence and reference to past rape/sexual assault

Hera woke up with a splitting headache. She turned over, her intention to wake up Zeus and darken his day as well, but he was already gone. Muttering to herself, she put on some slippers and a silk robe, and made her way downstairs. 

“Good for nothing husband probably screwing that homewrecking PA again,” she muttered to herself as her headache began throbbing behind her eye. What was going on with her today?

“Mommy! Why aren’t you dressed?” Hebe asked, her little face furrowing in concern. 

“Don’t worry about it sweetheart. I see you managed to get your sister up on time today,” she forced a smile, patting Hebe’s head. 

“Morning’ mum,” Eris said, her mouth full of food as she tore apart her pancake with her hands. 

“Bunny? Are you okay?” Zeus asked as he carried out a tray of pancakes.

“I - what are you doing here?”

Zeus narrowed his eyes, but tried to keep calm. He had told Hades he wanted to be better, and today he was trying extra hard. “You didn’t sleep well last night. I got up early and made breakfast for the girls… Seriously, you don’t look well at all. Maybe you should go back to bed?”

“I’m fine,” Hera spat. “It’s just a headache,”

Zeus rolled his eyes. “It’s behind your eye isn’t it?” he said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Hera nodded, giving him a dirty look. “Since you know everything, all powerful king of the gods, what the hell is wrong with me then?”

“You’re getting a vision. A powerful, vivid, and important one. Just like you did before the titanomachy, and when Athena was born, and right before that shit storm with Poseidon and Odysseus,”

“Oh, NOW you believe in my visions!”

Zeus sighed. “Hera, this is not the time for an argument. Please, I am seriously worried about you. The last time this happened you were out for three days,”

“I’m fi- AH!” Hera cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground.

“Mommy!”

“Hera!” Zeus dropped the tray he was carrying, running to Hera’s side. Hebe pulled her knees to her chest, worrying coloring her expression, and Eris just smiled, eating her pancakes and enjoying the chaos. 

Zeus pulled Hera into his arms, allowing her to lean against his chest, her hands on his biceps. “Bunny, what did you see?”

“I-it’s Persephone…. And Apollo… Zeus, you have to… You have to go. To the underworld,”

“Bunny, I’m not leaving you like this. Hades can handle anything that happens in his realm,”

“No, Zeus, you don’t understand. Hades will _kill him_ ,”

* * *

Persephone sighed, glanced at the clock for what felt like the nine hundredth time that hour. She still had another two before she could see Hades again at lunch, and it felt like time had stopped. She couldn’t believe she missed him so much already, but she did. 

_I just have to focus on work and then the time will fly by_ , she thought, turning back to the paperwork stacked on her desk. She worked diligently for about 15 minutes, when an unwelcome voice broke her concentration. 

“Hello Persie,”

Persephone jumped out of her chair, immediately trying to put as much distance between herself and Apollo as possible. Her brain quickly flipped through her options. Her phone was in her purse, so she couldn’t alert Hecate or Hades. Apollo stood between her and the door. She didn’t know how to summon Cerberus. Her stomach dropped as the realization hit. 

She was alone. 

“What are you doing here Apollo?” she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. 

“A guy can’t surprise his girl at work?” he asked, a sinister smile gracing his face. 

“I am not your girl,”

“Yes, you are. I told you that.”

Persephone decided to change the subject, not wanting to back down but also wary of riling him up any further. “You’re not allowed in this realm. You know that,”

“Pfft, that old man doesn’t scare me,” Apollo laughed, stalking her like a predator stalks its prey. 

“He should. He’s one of the most powerful gods in existence,” Apollo’s face darkened as she continued. “He’s a member of the six traitors dynasty, one of the three kings, who banned you from his realm, and ignored him,” Persephone’s confidence grew with every word she spoke.Hades made her feel like his realm, much like his home, belonged to her too. She just didn’t realize it because she had never thought about it before. Apollo held no power here, and he would never hold power over her again.

“Careful what you say Persie, that could also be interpreted as a threat or an insult towards me,” 

“It was both,”

Apollo pounced, grabbing her by the throat and slamming her into the wall behind her. “Wrong answer,” he snarled, throwing her onto the ground. “If you thought I forced you last time, you’re in for a rude awakening,” he said, his hands snaking up her skirt. 

Persephone’s breathing quickened, as her hair tripled and length, and red thorny vines weaved their way through her hair, her eyes deepening from pink to red in a matter of seconds. “Wrong answer,” she whispered, her palms hitting the ground beneath her twice.

* * *

Hades was _supposed_ to be in a meeting with Hecate, and though his body sat uncomfortably in his desk chair, his mind wandered downstairs to the small pink goddess he had woken up with this morning. _I wonder what she’d like for lunch… I know that French bakery just opened up has really good quiche_ , his mind wandering to how many seconds until he could find out how an almond croissant tasted on his Kore’s lips. Until Hecate smacked him upside the back of the head. 

“Are you even listening to me?” she asked, her eyes betraying every once of annoyance she felt. 

“Of course I am,” he snapped, rubbing the sting from the back of his head. 

“Oh really? Then what did I just say?”

Hades sighed. He should really know better than to lie to Heacte at this point. “Fine, you caught me,”

“Hades I swear -”

There was a cool burst of wind, followed by a column of purple smoke appearing, which gave way to Zeus appearing in front of Hades and Hecate. 

“Hades,” he gasped, leaning his hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath. “Where is Persephone?”

“She’s in the library, doing her job. Maybe you should try it,” Hades said, unwilling to deal with Zeus’ antics today. 

“Listen - Hera had a vision, and -”

Hades felt the staccato beat in his cheat. _Tap. Tap._ He could hear how their hands sounded smacking against the stone tile. He closed his eyes, his friend, his brother, and his office fading away so he could see the summoner. As if he was floating above him, he saw Persephone lying on the ground, that shitty little sun god lying prone across her form, his hand inching its way beneath her skirt. In less than a second he felt the fury roar across his chest, making him burn in a way he never had before. He opened his eyes, now a deep burgundy, and grabbed his brother by the arm.

“Let’s go,”

* * *

“Wrong answer,” she whispered, her palms hitting the ground beneath her twice.

“Wha -” Apollo looked up from what he had been attempting to do, when he was thrown across the room, breaking the shelves of scrolls and files he landed against. 

“Sweetness, are you okay?” Hades asked, hands fluttering across her form as he looked for injuries. 

“I am now,” she said, throwing her arms around his neck. “Thank you,”

“Of course my love. I will always find you,”

“What the fuck?” Apollo screeched, as he tried to lift his battered body out of the wreckage. “How dare y -”

Zeus grabbed him by the shoulder and silenced him with a look. “Apollo, if you want to survive, I suggest you stay quiet,”

Apollo’s jaw dropped at Zeus’ words. He wasn’t going to defend him? Maybe he could still apply to Persephone’s gentle heart. “Persie…”

“ **That. Is not. My. Name,** ” as she spoke, her eyes became a deeper and deeper red, almost glowing, and her hair (and the thorns woven in it) grew exponentially. “My name is Persephone, bringer of death, and you will not infantilize it. 

You entered a realm you are not welcome in, to lay claim to a person you are not welcome to. You are a disgrace to gods _and_ men for your behavior. You raped me, and then humiliated me into silence. You should be on your knees, trembling before me, and begging my forgiveness.” As she spoke, she began floating towards him, her vines following her as she did. 

As she advanced on Apollo, Zeus shuffled over to Hades. “Hades!” he whispered furiously. “Do something! Stop her!” he would never admit it, but he was slightly afraid of the pink goddess at this very moment. 

Hades was enthralled. She was absolutely _dreadful._ “No,” he breathed. “She’s magnificent,”

Zeus rolled his eyes. Of course his brother would choose _now_ to be more like him. 

“Apollo of Olympus,” Persephone spoke at a low, even volume, and yet her voice echoed around the room. “Brother of Artemis, god of the sun, medicine, and prophecy. You have earned my wrath many times over,” As she spoke, and her eyes began to glow, both Zeus and Hades had the same thought. 

_She was meant to be queen._

Persephone’s vines grabbed Apollo, holding him still as she spoke down to him. “You stole my innocence. You entered my bed as I slept and forced yourself upon me. You entered the Underworld after its king had banned you from ever doing so. And you insulted my beloved. For that I should make you pay,” she said, her vines squeezing his limbs hard enough that the thorns pricked his skin and his clothes became stained with ichor. 

“Persephone, please!” Apollo begged, his eyes filling with tears. 

Persephone held her hand up to stop him. “You are my best friend’s brother. Her happiness means something to me, and killing you would seriously affect that. This is not my realm to command, or exact justice in. You will answer to the kings for your crimes. And you will never, **_ever_ **, come near me again. Understood?”

Apollo nodded with a whimper, and Persephone commanded the vines to drop him.

She turned towards the brothers standing behind her. Zeus looked impressed, though maybe a little on the wary side. Hades looked… well the best she could come up with was pleased. But something in his gaze made her stomach flip the same it had earlier that morning. 

“Zeus, if I have your word you will allow me to punish Apollo appropriately later, I’ll allow you to return him to Olympus for now,” he may have been speaking to his brother, but Hades’ eyes never left Persephone’s. 

“I think I can make that happen,” Zeus said, sensing the tension between them. Grabbing Apollo by the shoulder, he transported them both back to his home. He was going to let his wife deal with Apollo. 

Zeus owed her one. 

Once the two purple gods were gone, there was a heavy silence in the room. Both deities were breathing heavy, and neither could tear their eyes away from the other. 

“Sweet, sweet Persephone,” Hades whispered, stepping closer to her. “That was the most… _incredible_ sight I have ever witnessed,” 

“You’re not angry?” Persephone whispered back, closing the distance between them. 

Hades placed his hands on either side of her face. “Never, little goddess. Not for using your incredible powers to put someone in their place,”

“But this is your realm,”

 _It could be yours too,_.he thought. Instead of speaking those terrifying words out loud, Hades decided to kiss her hard, pouring every emotion he had felt that morning into his kiss. “How are you feeling?” he asked, when he finally pulled himself away. 

“Honestly a little drained,” she said, her feet touching the ground. “I’m not used to using my powers in such a way,”

“You’re still young. Why don’t we take the rest of the day off?”

“B-but… but we just got here!” she yelled throwing her hands in the hair. “We can’t just _leave!_ ”

Hades raised his eyebrow at her, amused. “Why not? I _am_ the king. Besides, I haven’t taken a personal day in almost 600 years. I think I’m due.”

“Okay… I can’t deny spending the day relaxing at home sounds really nice,”

Hades smiled, taking her hand. “Then let’s go home,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was a doozy. I actually had to split this chapter in two because it was soooooo long. I love the thought of Hebe's lazy sister being Eris because Hebe is so cute and proper and the fricking cup bearer and then here comes Eris just being a chaotic mess. Also I wanted to play with the fact that Zeus, though he constantly cause problems because he can't keep his dick in his pants, really does love Hera and does want to be better. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and stay tuned for the next one!
> 
> PS - for a laugh: in my chapter notes, this one just says "let's go to work - oh FUCK its apollo"


	5. Cool Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little domestic fluff, Hades has a break through, and a visit from Zeus and Hera

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a hot mess, and I'm sorry. I was having trouble moving the plot along, so I feel like it all got crammed into this one so like a lot happens but also nothing does? it's also like 2800 words and I feel like its too short but this is what we've got soooooo....

“How do you not have any honey?” Persephone asked incredulously, standing in the middle of the baking aisle with her hands on her hips.

“Sweetness, I told you, I rarely cook for myself. What would I need honey for?”

“TEA!” she said, throwing the largest jar of honey they had into their carriage. 

Hades chuckled, enjoying seeing her all riled up. “And you need that much honey for your tea?”

“I’m making baklava tonight. Keep it up and you won’t be getting any,”

He grabbed her waist as she started to push the carriage away from him. “And what makes you think you can stop me, little goddess?”

Persephone shivered, turning her face towards his. “90% scoundrel,” she whispered, her lips a hair's breadth from his. As he leaned in to kiss her, she turned away from him, sauntering her way down the aisle. 

_ She’s going to be the death of me _ , Hades thought, the swing of her hips mesmerizing to him. Shaking his head, he ran to catch up with her so they could finish their shopping. 

* * *

Once home, Hades and Persephone worked together to put the groceries away, the perfect picture of domesticity. Both gods were shocked at how comfortable they were around each other. Hades was also acutely aware of how long it had been since he felt this happy.  _ Just don’t be a big blue idiot and fuck it up _ . 

Once the groceries were put away, the couple left to get Russell and Cordon Bleu from day care a little early so Persephone could play with them. Cordon Bleu even tolerated some of Persephone’s petting, only growling at her twice. Taking all 7 dogs on a walk proved to be less problematic than Hades feared, since Cereberus didn’t need a leash and all of the other dogs seemed to listen to Persephone just as well, if not better than, they listened to Hades. 

Once home, Hades had to take a phone call from Hecate, so Persephone decided to go through and see what Artemis packed her, even if she didn’t know where she was going to put anything. Clearly, Hades didn’t mind sharing his bed with her, but she didn’t want to encroach on anymore of his space. Who cared where she kept her clothes as long as she woke up next to him every morning? The only problem was she had a lot of clothes that needed to be hung up, or she’d be looking like a wrinkled ragamuffin at the office. And that simply wouldn’t do. Besides, even though it had only been one day, she liked having a space of her own, a few minutes in the morning to prepare for the day all by herself. This morning had been perfect, so why change it?

It was contemplating this dilemma that Hades found her about 20 minutes later. “Kore, Kore, Kore,” he chuckled, leaning against the door frame with his hands in his pockets. “What mess have you gotten into now?”

“I just - I mean… Look!” she shouted, waving her arms around wildly. “I don’t know how Artemis fit  _ this much _ into  _ that bag _ , but now I have all this stuff and I don’t know where to put it!”

_ Oh no. She doesn’t know where to put things because she doesn’t want to stay. She doesn’t want to unpack because it’s temporary. I knew it was too good to last.  _ Hades was so lost in his despair that he didn’t notice the tiny pink goddess floating right in front of him until she put her hand on his face. 

“Hey, where’d you go just now?” she asked gently, concern coloring her expression. 

“I d-do-don’t know. I’m s-s-so-sor-sorry,” he mumbled, unable to look at her. 

_ Stupid village girl! Look what you’ve done to him.  _ “Hades, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you…” she trailed off, trying to figure out what she did to hurt him so she didn’t do it again. 

“You di-didn’t Kore. I-I just should have realized -” 

“That my room doesn’t have a closet?” she asked, tilting her head in confusion. This conversation had taken a weird turn. “Most of my clothes need to be hung up so they don’t wrinkle, but there’s nowhere in here to hang them,”

Hades blushed, embarrassed that he had let his self doubt run away with him. Before he could apologize again, Persephone shushed him. “I know you’ve been through some things, and clearly you haven’t been treated the way you should, but you can’t get lost in your head like that. Neither one of us can read minds, so the only way anything can get resolved is if we talk to each other,” Persephone leaned in closer, resting her forehead against his. “I love you. I think when The Fates came to me - I don’t think it was really because of Hestia. They almost seemed unconcerned with it. Atropos really didn’t want them to tell me anymore, but Clothos kept saying ‘he’ has been through enough. They were bickering, and Lachesis told me to ignore them, because things were already as they should be. It was so odd and confusing I didn’t think about it too much, but now, I think, well… I already loved you. You’ve said you already loved me. Maybe this,” she grasped his shoulder, so he could take her in his arms, allowing him to take on her weight so she wasn’t floating anymore. “Maybe this was what they were talking about. Maybe  _ we _ are fated,”

Hades was in awe of her. He hadn’t cried in probably  _ years _ , at least, not sober. And yet, he felt the tell tale stinging behind his eyes at her words. The Fates - those three strange little goddess, older than even him - they helped make the greatest thing in his life appear. He could never repay them. 

“You’re right,” he choked out, trying to keep composed. “I’m sorry I didn’t say anything. I’m so used to people just  _ leaving _ and having it not matter, I thought that was why you didn’t want to unpack. Because you weren’t going to stay,”

“When I said I wanted to stay forever, I wasn’t really kidding,”

Hades put her down, burying his head in her hair. “I love you Kore,” was all he could manage, tears falling from his eyes from all the emotions he’d been holding in for the last day. 

“I love you too. Hey,” she pulled away from him so she could look him in the eye. “My clothes can wait. We’re both drained from today. How about a nap?” she asked wiping the tears from his cheeks. 

Hades managed a half smile and nodded, afraid his voice would betray him. He allowed her to take his hand and lead him to bed. 

* * *

After that first day, both Hades and Persephone made the effort to communicate more. Persephone was more open about her boundaries and why she had them, making their physical relationship easier to navigate because there was no guessing involved. Hades shared with her his doubts and insecurities, as well as just personal information he had never shared with anyone else. 

The issue of the closet was resolved later that week, when Persephone came home from her classes to find that Hades had turned that particular guest bedroom into a walk in closet/lounge for her. He painted the walls white and invested in a light fluffy carpet to help brighten the place up a bit. Now she had a vanity and stool, a chaise, a bookcase, and a desk all to herself. Hades wanted her to have her own space, and Persephone was in tears at how much thought went into that room. 

Three weeks flew by in what felt an instant, the couple falling into a routine naturally. On that third Friday, however, Persephone’s professor cancelled class at the last minute, so she was able to return to the Underworld earlier than normal. When she walked into the home she now shared with the god of the dead, she found him lounging on the couch, reading a book. 

“Oh! Hello there,” she said, giving him a kiss on the cheek as she tossed her backpack on a nearby chair. “You’re home early,”

Hades smirked, marking his page as he looked up at her. “I could say the same to you love,”

“My last class was cancelled, and I didn’t feel like sticking around campus,”

“Fudge had to go to the vet, so I figured I would just relax until you got home, which I assumed wasn’t going to be for another few hours,”

“Relaxing sounds nice. Can I join you?”

“Always,” he said, putting his book down and opening his arms. Persephone climbed onto him, laying her head on his chest with a sigh. 

“This is my favorite spot,” she mumbled, snuggling up close.

Hades chuckled, trying not to disturb her too much. “So you’ve said before. I’ll have you know the feeling is mutual,”

“Good, because I don’t ever want to move,”

A quiet buzzing sound interrupted their peaceful moment. Hades reached over to pick up his phone and sighed in frustration at the offending text message. “Unfortunately sweetness, it looks like we’re going to have to,” he said, his tone laced with annoyance. “Looks like my idiot brother wants to speak to us,”

“Now is that any way to speak about the king of the gods?”

Both Persephone and Hades jumped, with Persephone landing on the floor with a yelp. As Hades helped her up he gave Zeus a dirty look. “What the actual fuck are you doing in my house? You  _ just _ texted me,”

“Well I decided to expedite the process! Don’t be so crabby, it’s not like you were naked or anything,”

“ZEUS! Leave them alone!” Hera’s voice rang out from the kitchen. She walked in carrying a glass in one hand, a cigarette in another. “And why don’t you have any gin?”

“Because I don’t enjoy drinking a fucking Christmas tree. Are you going to tell me why you’re  _ both _ in my house?” Hades growled, becoming more annoyed with the royal deities with every passing second. Persephone was silent, simply grabbing his hand to try and help calm him. 

“Not until you tell me where the gin is. You’re too good of a host not to have some on hand in case I drop by unannounced,” Hera said with a smirk, glancing at their hands. 

Hades sighed. She was right - he had an unopened bottle of her favorite gin sitting on his wet bar for that very reason. “Wet bar in my office - upstairs, down the hall, first door on the left,”

While Hera was gone, Zeus just looked at the two with child-like glee. He had his suspicions during the confrontation with Apollo, but now, the proof was right in front of him in the form of tiny pink fingers interlocked with his brother’s blue ones. 

Once Hera returned, the four deities sat around the living room, trying to appear at ease. In actuality, Zeus was extremely excited, Hera intrigued, Hades annoyed, and Persephone was terrified. 

“So?” Hades asked, looking between his brother and sister-in-law. How he wished he could smack the shit eating grin off of Zeus’ face. 

“So, looks like you two are having fun playing house,” Hera teased, taking a sip of her drink.

“We’re not ‘playing’ anything. Persephone lives here,” Hades said plainly, trying to keep his tone even.

“Oh don’t be so serious Aidoneus, you know what I meant!”

“Aidoneus?” Persephone whispered, a gleam in her eye. 

_ Kill me now _ . “Still doesn’t explain why you wanted to speak to us, or why you showed up in my house,”

“Okay, listen. I let you skip our mandatory brothers brunch for two weeks now, and I wanted some deets! Oh, and Apollo escaped to the mortal realm, and I’ve got Hermes and Ares out looking for him so you’re going to have to have Thanatos put in some extra hours, ANYWAY -”

“WHAT!?” Persephone and Hades both screeched at the same time.

“How did you let him go?” Hades stood, towering over Zeus.

“He still had to pull the sun around the world! What was I supposed to do, do it myself?”

“UGH! You’re impossible, you know that?”

“Me?! What did I do?”

“You had one job, and you manage to fuck that up too. I bet you were too busy -”

“HEY!” Persephone shouted, pulling Hades away from his brother. “Go cool off,” she said firmly, pointing up the stairs.

“But -”

“You screaming at each other doesn’t do anything except give me a headache. Go. Cool. Off,”

With a sigh, Hades stomped off up the stairs. Anything to get him as far away from Zeus as possible. 

“I’m sorry, your majesty,” Persephone said, turning back to Zeus. Truth be told, she was a little intimidated by him, but she didn’t want him to know that. 

“Oh sweetheart, don’t apologize to him. He gets Hades riled up on purpose,” Hera said, patting her shoulder. “Yes, we stopped by to tell you about Apollo, but we also stopped by because we wanted to invite you to dinner. Now that you and Hades are together, and you’ve gotten settled, we thought you might like to come over, as part of the family,”

“Oh! That sounds really lovely, thank you so much!” Persephone spoke quickly, trying not to overthink  _ part of the family _ .

“Excellent! We’ll see you tomorrow then!” Hera clapped her hands together, pulling Zeus up and leading him towards the door. 

“Tomorrow? But -”

“Bye!” Hera waved once more before shooing her husband out the door ahead of her. 

Persephone sighed, knowing there wasn’t really anything she could do about it at this point. “Cerberus!” she called, looking around for the dog. “Come here good boy!”

The large dane bounded down the stairs, tongue hanging out of all three heads. “That’s my good boy, yes you are,” Persephone said, giving him lots of pets. “Can you show me where Daddy is?”

Persephone followed the dog all the way to the pool, where Hades was doing laps.  _ I guess he took me telling him to cool off literally.  _

She found herself mesmerized by his body in the water. For all the time they’ve been spending together, this was the first time she was seeing him without a shirt on, and the expanse of blue skin was doing things to her stomach she wasn’t sure she wanted to ignore. 

Finally, Hades climbed out of the edge of the pool, the weight of the water pulling his swim trunks down tight across his hips. Persephone gulped, trying not to stare. Hades grabbed a towel, off nearby chair, not noticing Persephone standing there until Cerberus gave a loud bark.

Hades looked up, noticing Persephone’s eyes blown wide as she stared at him.  _ Fuck, she’s probably disgusted by me, all these scars and -” _

“Holy shit,”

Hades was broken out of his spiraling thoughts. “Kore, did you just  _ swear _ ?”

Persephone blushed, a nervous laugh breaking out. “Well you’re just so… gods Hades, you’re  _ beautiful _ ,”

Hades was stunned, but when he took another, closer look at his beloved goddess, he noticed that her eyes weren’t wide with surprise, but dilated with desire. Her breath was quick, and he blush was creeping down her neck. She was fidgeting with the hem of her shirt, bouncing up and down on her toes. 

She was aroused. 

The last two weeks, Persephone had been very clear about her boundaries. They’d kissed,  _ a lot _ , and there had been some over the clothes petting. And of course they slept next to each other. They’d talked about sex, and what they were both comfortable with given their histories, and had decided they weren’t going to force anything either way. If it was going to happen, it would happen naturally, and with lots of communication. 

However, Hades had yet to see her like this.She was obviously worked up, and here he was looking like an idiot because he couldn’t take a compliment. 

Oh right. He still had to respond to her.  _ Gigantic blue idiot _ . “I could never hold a candle to you sweetness,”

Persephone stepped closer to him, tracing a finger lightly over one of the scars on his chest. “You look like a storm,” she whispered, placing a kiss over his heart. Hades shivered. “My perfect storm,"

Hades grabbed her face, pulling her into a searing kiss as a primitive growl rumbled from his chest. When he finally pulled back, Persephone grabbed his hand and pulled him towards their bedroom. 

“If this is what you’re going to do me I’m going to start swearing all the time,” she said over her shoulder with a wink.

Hades smirked, picking her up carrying her down the hall. “Promise?”

Persephone grinned. “Fuck yeah I do,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, I'm sorry for the craziness of this chapter. I'm not thrilled with it, but it is what it is. please leave a comments questions or concerns below!


	6. Secrets Secrets Are No Fun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A surprise guest, plus Persephone has a confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> happy friday! this fic is moving along faster than any project I've worked on before, so I just wanted to give a shout out to everyone who has commented and left me kudos. I also want to give a special shout out to Emilie7 for commenting on every single chapter thus far.

Persephone lazily traced the pattern of scars across Hades bare chest as they both laid in his oversized bed. Hades’ arm was wrapped snugly around her shoulders, his fingertips playing with her hair. Persephone gave a happy little sigh, and Hades chuckled. “That good sweetness?”

“Better than I thought it ever could be. Admittedly my experience isn’t the best, but…” Persephone looked up at him, and he felt his heart stutter in his chest. He would never tire of her looking at him like that.

“I know what you mean,” He said, shifting down so their faces were closer to level. “Though the situations are different, I didn’t know it could feel like that either,”

Persephone smiled, quite pleased with herself. He’d been around for over 2000, had probably had countless partners, and he basically just told her  _ she _ was the best sex he’d ever had. She thought back over their afternoon, trying to suppress a shiver of the thought of how his hands felt across her naked skin, how -

“Uh, Kore?” Hades said, his grin wide with amusement. “You’re making it rain petals again,”

She looked around, and sure enough, there were blue petals all over the room, though they seemed to be centered on the bed. “Oh!” she blushed a deep magenta. “Sorry, I was just thinking…”

“I can guess what you were thinking about, little goddess. Would you like to stop thinking?” Hades flipped them over so he was peering down at her, his goofy smirk making her stomach flip and her skin all warm and tingly. 

“Yes, I very much would,” Persephone smirked back, leaning up to catch his lips with hers, when both gods were stopped by the doorbell ringing. 

Hades plopped his head against her shoulder with a groan, and Persephone chuckled. “I guess we’re going to have to take a raincheck,”

“I know,” he mumbled against her skin, and Persephone reluctantly pushed him off of her. 

“We need to put clothes on,” Persephone said, as the doorbell rang again and again. “Looks like whoever it is is impatient. 

Hades groaned again, annoyed at having to leave the little bubble he’d found himself in with Persephone. He threw on a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt, smirking as he watched Persephone button one of his shirts. 

Hades left her to finish putting clothes on so he could answer the door, since whoever was there now seemed to be leaning against the doorbell. As he opened the door, he was stunned to find Demeter standing there. 

“Um, h-he-hello Demeter. What brings you t-to my home?” he said, slightly intimidated by the green goddess standing before him. 

“Don’t play dumb with me Aidoneus. I know you’ve stolen my daughter. Give. Her. Back. To. Me!” Demeter punctuated each word with a poke in Hades’ chest, stomping forward until his back was against the wall. “Where are you keeping her?!”

At that moment, Persephone came bounding down the stairs, the perfect combination of cute and sexy in Hades’ boxers and white dress shirt. Hades wished he  _ had _ locked her away, for it broke his heart to see her face fall at the sight of her mother.  _ Demeter is going to take her away. Our time together is over.  _ He thought glumly, unable to fathom any other outcome. Everyone knew Demeter always got her way, and he knew she would never let her daughter live with the likes of him. 

“Mama?” Persephone said, holding on to the bannister. “What are you doing here?”

“Oh my poor little bean!” Demeter looked up at her daughter, a sad smile on her face. “I knew sending you to Olympus on your own was a terrible idea, you’re still so young! I’m sorry you’ve been forced here by this, this  _ man _ ,” she spat the word with disgust, giving Hades a dirty look. “But I’m here now Kore-Cob, and I’m going to take you home,”

Persephone walked down the stairs slowly, coming to stand in front of her mother. She took both of Demeter’s hands in hers, and spoke very slowly, as if to a small child. “Mama, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you where I was. It was very selfish of me, knowing how you worry about me. But Hades hasn’t forced anything on me. I  _ chose  _ to be here. I  _ like  _ it here. This  _ is _ my home,” Persephone looked into her mother’s eyes, imploring her to understand. 

Demeter pulled her hands away, tears filling her eyes. “No! Absolutely not, I refuse to believe it!” she turned back to Hades, her hands grasping his shirt. “What did you do to my daughter you scoundrel!?”

Hades had to bite back a laugh at Demeter’s choice of insult, but one look at Persephone’s crestfallen expression made all traces of humor leave his mind. He took Demeter’s hands and gently pried them away from his shirt. “Nothing but love her Sito, I promise you that,”

Demeter wrapped her arms around herself, and let out a broken sob. “Kore,” she cried, stepping towards the door. “He won’t want you when he finds out. Please, come home now and spare us all the heartache,” 

“I can’t Mama. I love him,”

“Do you not love me?” Demeter wailed, shaking as she tried to keep herself together. 

“Of course I do!” Persephone ran towards her, unwilling to see her mother so upset. “I will always love you Mama. But this is different. Hades isn’t anything like Zeus or Poseidon, nothing like the stories. I love him in a way I didn’t know love could be,” Persephone opened her mouth to continue, but Demeter shook her head, turning and running out the door before Persephone could say anymore. 

Persephone sat staring at the open door for a long moment. She knew her mother wasn’t going to be  _ happy _ when she found out, but she hadn’t prepared herself for this level of reaction. She expected a lecture and some disappointment, but Demeter was completely distraught. In her mind, she had lost her daughter forever. At some point Cerberus had joined them, and let out a small whine, nudging Persephone’s head with his nose. At the point of contact Persephone crumpled to the floor, her head in her hands as tears flowed freely down her face. 

Hades stepped over to her, unsure if she would want his contact after being the cause of not only her, but also her mother's distress. When he didn’t move to touch her, she looked up at him, her tear stained cheeks breaking his heart. 

“Are you mad at me too?” she whispered, sadness tainting every note of her lovely voice. 

“Of course not sweetness,” Hades said, reaching down and lifting her into his arms. “Is this better?”

Persephone nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck and burying her face into his shoulder. “You cry as you need to,” he said, sitting them down on the couch as he held her tightly. “I’ve got you,”

* * *

Persephone cried for well over an hour, trying to talk at some points but being unable to due to her overwhelming emotions. Hades just held her, rubbing her back and reminding her that he had her, and that he always would. Cerberus, for his part, never let the couple out of his sight, sitting in the front hall and making sure no one else came to the house to upset his masters. 

When Hades finally felt Persephone’s breathing start to even out, and her sobs had turned into sniffles, he gently pulled her away from his shoulder. “I’m so sorry my love,” he said, cupping her cheek gently. “I’m sorry I’ve caused you so much pain,”

“Me?” she squeaked, reaching out to mirror him by touching his cheek as well. “I would have thought I caused you all the trouble,”

Hades shook his head. “I’ll admit I’m fairly intimidated by your mother, but I wouldn’t call that trouble,”

“Then what would you call it?”

“Payback for you having to deal with my brother,”

Persephone laughed, a weak little chuckle that still managed to lift Hades’ guilt a little. “I suppose I could see that. I just - I never thought she’d just leave like that. It almost feels like she’s leaving me,” Persephone said quietly, unable to make eye contact with Hades any longer. 

“Kore, I’ll admit I don’t have much experience with mothers, but one of the things I do remember about mine was that she loved me very much, and all she ever wanted to do was protect me,” Hades said, tucking her hair behind her ear. “It’s clear to me that your mother loves you just as much. My guess is that she’s scared that she can’t protect you anymore, and she doesn’t know what to do with that,”

Persephone nodded, hearing the sense in what he was saying. “I feel bad that I made her cry,”

“She’s strong. She’ll survive. If there’s one thing I know about Demeter, it’s that work always comes first. Give her a few days and she’ll be so engrossed in the harvest or the cereal that she’ll be back to normal, and then maybe we can calmly talk to her together,”

Persephone nodded again, thinking it over. “That sounds… reasonable,”

Hades smiled at her, and kissed her forehead. “I’ve been known to be on occasion,” Hades paused, unsure if now was the time to bring up what Demeter had said about him not wanting her anymore. “Kore, can I… do you want to tell me what your mother meant? About me not wanting you anymore?”

Persephone sighed, remembering what she had told Hades weeks ago about communicating. “There was an… incident. Something happened with my powers - a new aspect so to speak. I don’t just bring the spring and new life… I also can…. End it?” she offered, unsure exactly how to explain it to him, and afraid that her mother would be right. 

“All gods are capable of ending someone’s life in one way or another. Why would I be upset by that?” Hades looked at her, perplexed. 

_ Fuck. He’s adorable when he’s confused. _ “No, I… it’s more like I can take their souls and, um, send them away? We already knew that I could control plants - I can create a whole life cycle in a matter of seconds,” as if to prove her point, Persephone opened her palm and a small pomelia flower grew from a sprout, bloomed, and then wilted and died in her hand. “But one day - there was a village that was  _ supposed _ to be devoted to my mother and me, but… they stopped leaving their offerings. I went with my mother to see what happened and she couldn’t find her priestesses. She left to investigate and I caught these men defiling the temple. Just urinating on things, knocking over things, breaking things.They saw me and they  _ laughed _ . The called me a dumb flower nymph. And I just got so, well, angry, and so I reached out with my power, and I felt as if each of them had two beings. Like one that was tangible, and another that I could feel but not grab. And that second part, I could feel that’s where all their disrespect and hated was. And their hatred was all for women. I wanted to make it go away, so I just… I guess, pushed? And then Hermes asked what they had done, and he went and got my mom and I was told never to speak about it again. I heard her threaten Hermes not to tell you either, and when I asked why she said I stepped over our domain and she was trying to protect me from your wrath…” 

Hades mind put the pieces together. He remembered those souls - They weren’t gathered by Hermes or Thanatos, and yet they ended up on his beach anyway. Ares had been in the middle of a campaign so he hadn’t been able to dwell on it too much, and he had judged their deaths deserved so it seemed a moot point in his book. There was always so much else going on that he seemed it trivial to spend a lot of energy on three terrible souls. Hades looked at his beautiful, amazing, dreadful goddess, and realized that she had to have been made for him. Who better to be queen of the underworld than the bringer of death herself?

Hades grabbed her face in both hands and kissed her soundly. “You’re incredible. Your mother was wrong - I want you more now than ever,” he said against her lips, moving her so her legs were on either side of his hips. “I want you forever,”

Persephone sighed feeling his hands around her waist, the stress of the confrontation with her mother melting away. “I’m yours Aidoneus,” she said. “I’ll always be yours,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to explore Demeter as being sad and upset over Persephone's relationship with Hades to help tie back to the original myth. 
> 
> Sito is one of Demeter's other names. 
> 
> please leave comments!


	7. Family Dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A dinner party at Zeus and Hera's. Hades tells a story. Hera and Persephone get letters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright guys, gals and non binary pals, the long awaited chapter 7 is here! I apologize for the longer than usual wait, I got a little stuck - filler isn't my strong suit, even though I *know* its necessary to help flesh out the story. In the end this was actually really fun to write, so I hope you enjoy it as much as I do.
> 
> PS - this is my longest chapter to date. it honestly should probably be 2 chapters, but I couldn't figure out a good place to split it, so you're getting 3700 words in this update.

Persephone paced back and forth in front of her wardrobe. What does one wear to a family dinner at the home of the king and queen of the gods? Hera was always so impeccably dressed, she thought maybe she should wear one of the full length dresses her mother bought her before she moved to Olympus. But she had also made a point to invite Persephone as part of the family, so would that make it more casual? She thought back to the last time she had been at the royal family’s home, remembering her attire had hardly been appropriate for dinner, but now that she actually had the time to plan she had no idea what  _ was _ . 

“HADES!” She called, throwing on a robe over her bra and underwear.

Hades came running into the room, fear in his eyes that something terrible had happened. “What is it Kore? Are you okay?”

“Oh!” Persephone blushed sheepishly. “Yes, I’m okay. I’m sorry for scaring you. I just need help figuring out what to wear,”

“Oh,” Hades chuckled, his eyes bright with amusement. “I think I have just the thing. Wait here,” Hades left the room, but was back not a moment later carrying a grey garment bag. “I kind of guessed on the measurements… I’m usually pretty good at it, but if it doesn’t fit, you just let me know and I’ll have it fixed,” Hades said nervously, wringing his hands together. 

Persephone unzipped the bag to find a burgundy cashmere sweater dress. She realized it was the same one he had created for her as an illusion on his last audience day. “It’s so soft,” she whispered, stroking the fabric softly. “Thank you my love, it’s beautiful,”

“I would do anything for you sweetness,” he said sincerely. “I’ll let you get ready. Just call if you need anything else,”

Persephone nodded with a smile, closing her eyes as he kissed the top of her head sweetly. As soon as he was out the door, she slipped the dress over her head and had to suppress a giggle. He had no reason to be nervous - it fit like a glove

Sitting down at her vanity, Persephone ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to make a decision on what to do with it. She’d been wearing it a little longer lately, about to her shoulders. She wanted to pull it away from her face though, and wasn’t sure the best way to go about it. Smiling with a thought, she reached in a drawer and pinned one side up with the comb Hades had made her on her first day of work. Donning a pair of tights and boots that were a gift from Artemis, she made a mental note to contact her friend as she made her way downstairs to wait for Hades. 

It seemed she had taken longer than she realized though, because he was already waiting for her at the bottom of the stairs. Stopping before she reached the bottom, one hand flew up to her chest as her heart began to flutter wildly. He was wearing one of his signature white dress shirts, but instead of suspenders and a suit jacket, he had donned a sleek black vest, and had left his sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The top two buttons of his dress shirt were undone, the tops of a few of his scars peeking out just the slightest bit making her drool. 

“Kore? Are you okay?” His voice broke her out of her ogling, and she realized his words were tinged with insecurity. “Should I have worn a suit? Hera’s always telling me I’m too formal and dress like a stiff, so I thought I’d try -”

Persephone cut him off by flying over to him and pressing her lips to his in a searing kiss. “I don’t want to go,” she said. “Let’s stay here where I can look at you,”

Hades chuckled. “So you like it then?”

“Yes. You’re incredibly handsome and sexy and I don’t want to go to this dinner when I could be alone with you,”

“Unfortunately there is no cancelling on Hera. Trust me darling, I’ve tried in the past. I don’t care to relive her reaction,”

Persephone huffed with false indignation, landing with her feet firmly on the ground. “Fine. Let’s go then I guess,”

* * *

As the couple walked up the massive drive to the ostentatious mansion, Hades gave Persephone’s hand a squeeze. She was tense with nervous energy. Before, she had visited Hera as a subject visiting her queen, or as a daughter visiting her mother’s friend. This felt  _ very  _ different, though she couldn’t come up with the words to explain  _ why _ . 

Hades didn’t bother knocking, instead walking right into the foyer, where a chorus of “Uncle Hades!” greeted him. 

Hades chuckled, dropping to his knees and opening his arms as his two younger nieces ran into them. Persephone smiled, unable to keep herself from picturing a similar scene, except with their own children. 

_ Kore it is way too soon for you to even begin to think about things like that! You’ve been together for like a month, and you’re already living together, you need to slooooow down because -  _

“Hey Kore! It’s so good to see you!” Persephone was broken out of her internal ramblings by Athena’s excited voice. Persephone smiled at the grey goddess, giving her a little wave. 

“Hi Athena. How have you been?” she asked nervously. She wasn’t sure what Hestia had told everyone about her leaving, and was even less certain what Athena’s reaction would have been.

“Oh I’m great! I’m excited Mum is having this dinner tonight. It took  _ a lot  _ of courage to stand up to Hestia the way you did, enough that I felt it, and I just wanted to give you a hug ever since!” 

“You - you  _ felt _ it?” Persephone was a little taken aback by that statement, but then again, she was often taken aback by Athena in general. 

“Oh, courage is one of my domains, and when someone does something like you had to do… well, it's kind of like my uncle Hades when there's a lot of deaths all at once. At least, we think so. We’ve talked about it before. Can I hug you now?” Athena opened her arms, looking very much like Hades a minute ago, and Persephone giggled a little, hugging her tightly. It felt nice to be around her friend again. 

“Miss Persephone?” A little voice said below her, and Persephone looked over to see Hebe standing there sweetly, hands behind her back and swaying gently from side to side. 

Athena released her, and Persephone looked over to see Eris had captured Hades’ attention by showing him how she could create small hurricanes, a new aspect of her power that she had recently discovered. She knelt down to Hebe’s level, tucking a stray curl behind her ear. “What can I do for you little princess?”

Hebe blushed, and looked down. “I just wanted to know what you like to drink… I’m supposed to know, it’s one of my goddess jobs, but I can’t figure out what you’d want. And usually I could I just… I don’t know,” the small goddess furrowed her brow, looking for all the world frustrated and ready to cry. 

“Don’t worry sweetie!” Persephone said quickly, taking the little golden hands in hers. “You’re only young, you don’t have to know everything yet. And I don’t really drink all that much so  _ I _ don’t even know what I want. If I don’t know, I doubt anyone would expect you to,”

Hebe brightened up at that. “You’re not mad or offemded?”

“Honey, I think you mean offended. Why don’t you go get Persephone a glass of champagne, and your uncle -” Hera approached the pair, but was cut off by Hebe running down the hall towards the dining room where the wet bar was set up.

“A scotch on the rocks! I know that one!” Hebe called behind her, excited to be of use. Persephone stood up, smoothing out her skirt. She was glad for the dress Hades gave her, because she fit in perfectly with everyone here. Hera was wearing a long sleeved a line dress in peacock blue, with embroidered peacock feathers around the hem of the skirt, and Hebe’s dress was a miniature version of her mother’s. Athena was wearing her usual slacks and sweater vest, and Eris was wearing skinny black pants with a flowy, sheer top, and black combat boots that looked an awful lot like the ones she knew Ares to wear. For once in her life, Persephone didn’t feel out of place amongst the other goddesses. 

Hera ushered everyone into the front sitting room, where Poseidon, Zeus, Amphitrite, and Ares were already gathered, laughing and talking merrily amongst themselves. Persephone gulped, her eyes widening. This truly was a family dinner.

Immediately Poseidon pulled Hades into a hug, and he was pulled into a conversation with his brothers. Eris immediately ran and jumped on Ares’ back, the surprise attack almost causing the tall god to fall over, though he took it good naturedly. Hera introduced Persephone to the goddess of the sea, who was all smiles and breezy conversation. Persephone was grateful for Athena’s familiar, quiet presence beside her.

Once Hebe came bursting into the room, handing Persephone and Hades their drinks and announcing to the room at large that dinner was ready, Persephone held back to she could catch Hades and ask him some questions before dinner. 

As she looped her arm through his, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. “Doing alright?” he asked quietly, keeping them a fair distance from the rest of the group. 

“A little overwhelmed. I didn’t realize  _ everyone _ was going to be here,”

“Me either, and this isn’t even everyone. Aphrodite, Eros, and the kids aren’t here,” he said. “I’m glad Athena came though. She doesn’t usually,”

“Me too. It’s nice to have another person I know well,”

“I’m sure that’s why she came. Her wisdom is endless, as is her compassion,”

“Speaking of Athena, she said something about her mom? Except I thought Zeus made her himself?”

Hades chuckled. “Zeus didn’t exactly  _ make _ her. It’s a long story, but basically after Ares was born, Hera’s powers were out of control, and Zeus did something stupid so she wished, or perhaps prayed, that he would feel the pain she had just gone through. A few days later Athena sprang from his head. She calls Hera mum because she raised her, and Hera’s always loved her. You said once Athena was the best of us, and you weren’t wrong. She’s always been that way,”

Persephone nodded. They were nearly to the dining room, but she had one more question, so she pulled him aside before they took their seats. “One more, so I don’t say something stupid. Does Amphitrite know that Poseidon cheats on her? And is okay with it?”

Hades shrugged. “They don’t really consider it cheating. They have an open relationship - meaning they sleep with whoever, sometimes together, and as long as they hide nothing from each other there’s no fighting. Not something I’d ever want, but it works for them. Amphitrite has never been the jealous sort anyway, and as long as Posie’s happy the rest of us keep our mouths shut,”

Persephone shook her head, trying to process what she just heard. “I think I’d be better off if I just didn’t speak,” 

Hades kissed her forehead, taking her hand and guiding her to their seats at the table. “Don’t worry sweetness, no one is worried about _ you  _ saying something out of turn,”

* * *

“And then, AND THEN, Posie and I are just about to piss ourselves, when Hades comes out of the cave holding the smallest little puppy any of us had ever seen! It took nearly a century for Hera to let me live that one down,” Zeus laughed, finishing up the story of how Hades found Cerberus abandoned in a cave in the mortal realm, the echos making the brothers think the pup was a large and dangerous beast about to eat them. 

“The dog wouldn’t leave Hades’ side once he brought him home. Zeus wanted to give him to me as a wedding present, but neither the dog nor Hades was having any part in it. Which was fine by me, I am  _ not _ a dog person,” Hera smiled, patting her husband’s hand. 

Hades’ cheeks were beginning to hurt from smiling so much. This was the first time in centuries he’d come over for dinner with his family and there was no arguments. Even Eris, chaos personified, was sitting quietly, eating with a  _ fork _ and not throwing things or inciting Ares to blow things up. 

And his brothers! They were keeping their lewd, crass comments to themselves, for once! Zeus was even telling stories that made Hades look good, even if he himself looked less than stellar.

If it wasn’t for the pink hand on his thigh, he’d think he was dreaming. 

Persephone smiled at Zeus, seemingly enthralled in the story. In actuality, she was counting down the minutes until her and Hades could go home. Though she had enjoyed the dinner immensely, she was socially exhausted and ready to snuggle up with her boyfriend and his dogs. 

As the group was finishing up dinner, there was a knock at the doorway. “I’m sorry to interrupt,” a young nymph dressed in an impeccable maid’s uniform said. “But the messenger god is here for the queen,”

“No worries Pietria, please, send him in,” Hera said, waving at her. The red messenger god flew in close to the ceiling, dressed in mortal garb. 

“Here you go your majesty - oh! Kore! Hi!” Hermes did a loop in the air and hovered upside down just above her. “I didn’t realize you’d be here!”

Persephone giggled as his hair fell into her face. “Hi Hermes,”

“Well, this is pretty cool, since it saves me a trip to the underworld. Here,” Hermes reached into his bag and handed Persephone a papyrus envelope, clearly from the mortal realm. 

“Thank you friend. Hey! Text me soon, yeah?” She called after him as he flew away. He did another loop, giving her a thumbs up before leaving. 

After that it seemed like the night had reached its natural conclusion. After about a half hour of goodbyes, and promises from both Persephone and Hades that they would come to visit his two young nieces sometime soon, everyone made their way to their respective homes. 

Once back in the Underworld, Hades went about getting the dogs their dinner while Persephone went to change. Knowing that his family could be a lot, he decided to wait in their bedroom for her before doing anything else. He was lying on his bed, scrolling through pictures on his phone when she came in and plopped down beside him. 

“Hades?” she said after a few minutes, still staring at the ceiling. 

“Yes sweetness?”

“Do you think I’m naive?”

Hades was taken aback by the question. Honestly, he didn’t. Persephone had a wisdom even he could aspire to at times, and with immortality, the only thing that really came with age was knowledge and control of one’s powers. If anything, he would say she was a bit on the optimistic side, but he had always been the opposite, so he couldn’t fairly judge that. He would never even consider calling her naive. “Not at all my love. Why do you ask?”

Persephone sighed wearily. “The letter Hermes gave me - it’s from my mother. Here,” She handed it to him, still staring at the ceiling. 

Hades eyed the parchment skeptically before taking it from her, reaching for his reading glasses from the table beside his bed. 

_ Kore - _

_ You are young. You do not know Aidoneus as I do. He only wants what he cannot have. Once the chase is over there is no thrill for him. He will cast you aside and you will be ruined _

_ Your naivety is showing my love. Trust me, you know nothing of men, and nor should you want to Come home. Join Hestia and Athena and myself. Have we not always guided and cherished you? _

_ If you do not return, I will be forced to appeal to Zeus and Hera for your own good.  _

_ All my love,  _

_ Mother _

Hades sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose beneath his glasses. “Your mother infuriates me,” he whispered, trying to keep the frustration out of his tone. He knew Persephone would be upset enough about this nonsense letter without his temper making it worse. 

“I’m sorry -”

“No, Kore, it’s not your fault. Just reading that letter gave me whiplash. Condescending, insulting, guilt tripping, and threatening you all in less than a page. It’s really remarkable,”

Persephone scooted behind him, taking his glasses off his face and carding her fingers through his hair the way she knew he liked. “What did she mean though, about how you only want what you can’t have?” she asked after a while, her curiosity keeping her from holding her tongue. 

“I’ve only ever pursued two goddesses in my entire lifetime. Hera because - well, she was the first person I saw after my father spit me back up. She took care of me. I didn’t know she was meant to be with Zeus back then. And for a while she would come to me when Zeus would inevitably fuck up,”

“When did that stop?”

“Oh years ago. She kissed me recently, after a huge confrontation with Minthe where Hecate walked in on her hitting me - which I did tell you about. The incident I mean. She kissed me after that, but it was test apparently,” Hades looked up at her, smirking a little. “She just wanted to make sure I was over her,”

Persephone grinned at him, tugging at his hair a little. “I’ll admit I’m a bit jealous, but I trust you. Now keep going, you were telling me a story,”

Hades settled back against her chest, and she resumed her fingers’ rhythm through his hair. “Right, your mother thinking I want what I can’t have. So Hera is still my closest friend, and she wanted me to find a queen so badly she pushed me towards Hestia...which I am embarrassed to admit took us longer than it should have to figure out,”

“What? That she wanted to be a maiden for all eternity?”

“Yeah, that,”

Persephone hummed thoughtfully, and Hades closed his eyes, enjoying the feeling of her hands in his hair. He breathed in her scent of spring roses, content to just lie like this forever. After a while, she spoke again, still carding through his hair. “What about her threat?”

Hades pulled away then, so he could turn and look at her. “It’s meaningless. I  _ just _ told you Hera is my closest friend - she and Zeus won’t let anything interrupt my happiness. Besides, she’s a terrible secret keeper. She’s been trying to get us together for months,”

“ **WHAT?!”**

Hades chuckled. “It’s her job sweetness. Why do you think she wanted to make sure I was over her?”

Persephone grinned, thinking back. Her internship, inviting her to stay for dinner when she brought over the flowers, even tonight, making sure everything was perfect so she felt comfortable. Hera was a master at this, and she felt a little silly that she hadn’t seen it earlier. She moved closer to him, resting her forehead against his. “And are you? Over her, I mean,” she teased, her lips nearly brushing against his as she spoke. 

“I don’t know,” he grinned, pulling her into his lap so she could feel exactly what and who he wanted now. “What do you think?”

* * *

“Well husband, I think we can call that a successful dinner,” Hera said, sitting on the chaise in their bedroom as Zeus lounged on the bed. 

“Neither of us started yelling, and none of our children broke anything. I even told stories that made my brother look better than me, which you know I hate. I think I’d have to agree with you,”

“Yes, you were on your best behavior, thank you,” she replied, taking a long drag of her cigarette. 

“Do I get a reward?” Zeus waggled his eyebrows, turning so he was in what he thought was a sexy pose. 

Hera had to keep herself from laughing at him. It never did anyone any good to bruise his ego. “Maybe later. I was actually referring to the fact that I may have  _ finally _ found your brother a wife,”

Zeus sat up. “Oh! Is  _ that _ why you’ve been neglecting your work in the mortal realm?” Hera glared at him. “What?”

“I haven’t been  _ neglecting _ shit. I’ve put some things on hold while I focus on  _ our _ family,” she turned away from him, sitting at her vanity so she could take off her makeup.

“Oh come on Bunny,” he said, coming up behind her and placing his hands on her shoulders. “You know what I meant,”

“Well? Do you approve?”

“Of course I do. I’ve only ever wanted him to be happy. Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Hera rolled her eyes. “Because you would have tried to get involved and I wanted it to happen naturally. Neither of them wanted an arrangement, they both want love. I just saw that they were  _ possibly _ compatible and tried to nudge them in the right direction,” Hera said as she opened the letter Hermes delivered to her earlier that evening. “I’m glad you’re still on board though,”

“I’ve never seen him this happy Bunny. I love my brother, big blue idiot that he is. I’d do anything to see him smile like he was tonight,”

“Great. Because we might have a problem,”

Zeus narrowed his eyes. “What are you talking about?”

Hera locked eyes with him in the mirror, her expression blank and unreadable, though there was a protective fury brewing behind her eyes. For once, it was not directed at her husband. “This letter is from Demeter. She’s asking that we break them up,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just want to give everyone a huge thank you for all the kudos and comments on this and my other two works in this series. Its really helped push me to keep going and not just leave it hanging (I'm absolutely terrible about finishing projects). This is also shaping up to be a little longer than i expected, but I'm not mad about it! Please leave more comments, I love reading your thoughts and feedback. 
> 
> xoxo  
> Rissa


	8. Pieces Come Together

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone meets up with her friends. Hades spends some time with his family.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just a little fluff cupcake with plot sprinkles to get us to the next chapter

Hades stretched out languidly in his bed, reaching out to pull his little pink goddess closer so he could fall back asleep. However, instead of her warm, tiny form, all he found was cold sheets and an empty bed. Sitting up quickly, he tried to keep the panic and insecure thoughts at bay.  _ She’s left, just like you knew she would. She finally figured out she’s too good for you.  _ Hades tried to steady himself with a deep breath, attempting to keep his voice even as he called out into the large house. 

“K-Kore? Are you there?” he cringed as he heard his voice break. A tiny part of him hoped she really wasn’t here, so she wouldn’t have heard that embarrassing sound.

Persephone came running into the room, clearly in the middle of getting ready. She was wearing leggings and a sports bra, but no shirt. One side of her hair was pulled up into a little bun on top of her head, but the other looked like she hadn’t even brushed it yet. 

“Hades? What’s wrong?” she asked him, worrying lacing her tone. 

“I-I… I thought you left,” he whispered, slightly ashamed.  _ Why am I still like this? _

Persephone clicked her tongue soothingly in response, sitting down on his side of the bed and opening her arms so he could crawl into them. She felt a little guilty - she knew this happened every time he woke up and she wasn’t in the room with him. Her heart broke every time, cursing everyone who had ever hurt him or left him behind, breaking him so he thought he wasn’t worth anything, making him terrified of ever being abandoned again. 

If she had to get up before him, she’d usually wake him gently, letting him know she wasn’t leaving  _ him _ , just the warmth of their bed. But this morning she was woken up much earlier than normal, and she hoped she could get ready and let him get an extra hour or so of sleep before she left. Carding her fingers through his hair, she let out a deep breath. “I’m sorry my love, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m not going anywhere, I promise,” she kissed his head gently as his arms tightened around her waist. “Metaphorically at least. I do have to go out today,”

Hades mumbled into her shoulder, and she laughed pushing him gently so she could see his face. “I said, I didn’t realize you had plans today. Anything fun?”

Persephone shrugged, as she didn’t truly know if it would be ‘fun’. “I woke up to Artemis calling me this morning. She wants to meet for coffee, and she sounded really upset,”

Hades nodded solemnly, trying to school his features. He should have known better though, since Persephone had always been able to see right through him. She raised an eyebrow at him, silently asking him what he was thinking. “I guess I’m just worried about Apollo still hiding out, and Artemis  _ is _ his brother. What if he convinced her to lure you to him?”

“I know she doesn’t really like you all that much, but she wouldn’t do that to me. I’m sure someone told her what happened…” Persephone chewed on one of her nails. She didn’t actually know what Artemis knew and what she didn’t. Their last contact had been the note she left on top of Persephone’s things, that was still sitting crumpled at the bottom of her purse. 

“I could go with you, if you wanted…” 

“No, love, that’s okay. Even if something  _ does _ happen, I’m capable of taking care of myself,”

Hades sighed. He knew logically she more than capable of defending herself - he’d seen it first hand. However, emotionally, he just wanted to protect her. “I know sweetness, I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be overbearing, I just -”

“Want to keep me safe, I know,” Persephone leaned forward and kissed his forehead. Hades felt the blush creep across his cheeks, the gesture more tender and sweet than he was used to. “Why don’t you get up now, and I’ll drop you off at Zeus and Hera’s on my way. That way you’re in Olympus in case anything happens, and I still have the car in case I want to leave early. Plus, Eris and Hebe can distract you so you’re not just counting down the minutes until I get home,”

Hades smiled at her, in awe of her wisdom and ability to think straight when he was not. “That sounds like a wonderful plan Kore. Thank you. I love you,”

Persephone rolled her eyes teasingly, getting up to return to her room to finish getting ready. “If you hurry you’ll probably even have time for a shower. Wouldn’t want you looking anything less than your best for Hebe,”

Hades chuckled, knowing there was a kernel of truth in that statement. “Yes ma’am,”

“Oh, and Hades?”

“Yes?”

“I love you too,”

* * *

Persephone pulled into the Satyrbucks parking lot, surprised to see Eros standing by the door, clearly waiting for her. 

“Eros!” She screamed, running over and crashing into his chest. “I didn’t expect you to be here,”

“Hey girl,” he chuckled, wrapping her tight in both his arms and wings. “Artemis called - she thought you might be a little bit more comfortable if I came too,”

Persephone pulled back, a frown marring her features. “More comfortable?”

“Don’t read too much into it. She just thinks you’re still mad at her, and I’m pretty sure she blames herself for everything that happened with Apollo,”

Persephone looked down. “You all know about that, huh?”

Eros took her hand. “Hey, I only know more because my dads been out looking for him. My grandmother has been very strict about keeping it under wraps,”

“I wonder who told Artemis then - I’m not even sure my mother knows,”

“There’s only one way to find out,” Eros said, holding the door open for her to step inside. Immediately, she spotted Artemis, who looked worse for wear. Her hair was greasy and tied messily above her head, and the tshirt and track shorts she wore were wrinkled beyond belief. Her eyes were swollen, making her seem as if she’d just been crying, and the dark circles beneath her eyes looked almost black against her purple skin. Persephone ran over to her, throwing her arms around her friend. 

“Artie! Oh my goodness you look awful!”

Artemis sniffled, her lips lifting into a small smile. “I see you’ve retained some of my bluntness,”

Persephone giggled, sitting across from her as Eros went to get them drinks. “I’ve missed you Artie. I really have,”

“I miss you too Perse. I’m sorry you felt like you had to leave without telling me…”

Persephone cocked her head to one side. “What are you talking about… I came home from Hestia’s and all my stuff was packed outside the door. You left me a note?”

Artemis shook her head violently. “No! I haven’t even been in your room since you left, and I definitely didn’t write a note. I was waiting for you, but you never came home. Then like a week or so ago your mom showed up, demanding to see you. I told her I didn’t know where you were, assuming you had gone back to the mortal realm because I hadn’t heard from you. She went into your room and then left really angry,”

Persephone sighed, taking the drink Eros handed her gratefully as he sat down beside her. “Yeah, she showed up at Hades’ house. I don’t know how she put two and two together but I don’t particularly care either. I don’t think we’re on speaking terms at the moment,”

“WAIT!” Eros shouted, his wings fluttering excitedly. “Hades’ house? As in Hades, king of the underworld? Is  _ that _ where you’ve been hiding all this time?”

“I haven’t been hiding. I’m in Olympus nearly every day for school. I’ve just been… keeping to myself until everything settles down,” Persephone hoped her eye roll would distract Eros from asking any more questions. Truthfully, she’d just been so content in her little bubble with Hades she had gotten caught up in their budding relationship. Not that it felt  _ new _ , but the comfort was something she had wanted to relish in a little longer. 

“So I take it he’s good in bed?”

“EROS!” Artemis and Persephone yelled at him simultaneously. “Seriously, we’re in public,” Artemis spat, a little disgusted by the crudeness. 

“Sorry, but it  _ is _ my domain! I need to know these things!”

Persephone patted his shoulder gently. “We’ll talk later. I’m still trying to figure out what happened the day I went to visit Hestia. It’s all so strange,”

“Well,” Artemis wrung her hands in her lap. “My brother was at the house with me when Hestia called… it was before I knew that he… what he did, so I told him what she had said to me. I asked him to leave, and he just did, which I thought was strange because he fights me on  _ everything _ ,” Artemis gasped, locking eyes with Persephone as all three gods put the pieces together simultaneously. “Perse, you still don't have that note, do you?”

Persephone nodded, digging through her bag and handing the crumpled paper to Artemis. She hummed as she read it, and then smacked it down on the table. “There!” she said, pointing to the ‘A’ used as a signature. “See how the middle line crosses over the leg? Apollo and I have super similar handwriting, but  _ that _ is how he signs his name. I don’t write my a’s like that,”

Persephone nodded, feeling bad she never took the time to talk to Artemis about what happened. “I guess he thought I would go to him, or that Eros would suggest it?” she looked at him and he shrugged. 

“Before he ran off he’d been pestering me about how he could go about dating you but I kept blowing him off,”

Artemis sighed. “He’s delusional. I don’t care that he’s my brother - when the Fates come to your house, you believe them over everyone and everything,”

“The Fates visited you too?” Persephone said in astonishment. “When?”

“Just last week. They warned me that my brother was going to flee, and told me not to go after him. They said ‘justice will be served in its own time’. When I asked justice for what, they told me what happened,”

“Oh Artie… that’s a terrible way to find out, I’m so sorry,”

“It’s a terrible thing that happened because  _ I _ let him into our home. I don’t know how you could ever forgive me,”

“There’s nothing to forgive, because it wasn’t your fault. No one blames you,” Persephone reached across the table to grab her purple hand and give it a squeeze. 

The two goddesses smiled at each other, when they heard the shop door open. Artemis, facing that way, looked up, and her eyes widened in shock. Persephone tensed, fearing the worst, that Apollo had joined them. That fear only lasted a second, because the sounds of “Miss Persephone!” and little feet running across the tile reached her ears. She turned to see Hebe running towards her, with Eris and Hades still a few feet behind her.

Persephone laughed, reaching out to pull the child into her lap. “Hello little princess, I didn’t expect to see you here today,”

“I’m sorry sweetness,” Hades said, kissing her cheek. “I didn’t realize you’d be at this coffee shop. The girls just wanted some hot chocolate before we go to the park. I don’t mean to intrude, truly -” 

“Hey, it’s okay! I didn’t tell you where I was going,”

“Miss Persephone, are you coming to the park with us?” Hebe asked sweetly. 

“I could always call Psyche and have her bring my siblings over. Make it a big playdate with all the cousins,” Eros said with a little shrug. Persephone and Artemis look at him with mouths wide open. “What?”

“You found her?! AND YOU DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING?!” Artemis screeched, reaching over the table to punch him in the arm. 

“I forgot! I’m sorry! There was just so many other things going on!” Eros said, trying to duck out of the way. 

“Eris… stop with your powers. No scenes in public, remember?” Hades said gently, placing his hand on the teenage goddess’ shoulder. 

“I’m not doing it!” she replied, looking up at him with a smirk. “I wish I was though, Artemis is cool!”

Persephone giggled. “It’s not her, Artemis is just naturally violent,” she turned to Artemis, giving her a genuine smile. “Do you want to come with us?” Artemis responded with a shrug, and Persephone continued. “You look like you could use some sun, and Eris seems to really like you,”

Hades nodded. “It’s true, and she hardly likes anyone. I’ll even treat us all to lunch, if you’ll let me,”

Artemis and Persephone shared a silent conversation with just a look, where they both realized just how much they’ve missed each other, and Artemis nodded. “But no funny business!” she said, poking Hades in the chest. 

“Don’t worry Miss Artie! My uncle Hades is the nicest scary god I’ve ever met. Even nicer than my brother,” Hebe piped in, wanting to be a part of the grownups conversation. 

“Hey Uncle, can I get a coffee frappe?” Eris asked as he lifted Hebe onto his shoulders. 

“Absolutely not - you’re enough of a handful without the extra caffeine,”

“I know! That’s the point!”

“Absolutely not madam - I am not paying to fix a park because one of your tornados spun out of control,”

Eris pouted, grumbling about no one appreciating her powers, when Artemis slung an arm over her shoulder. “Don’t worry kid, my brother wouldn’t let me drink coffee for the longest time either. One day you’ll be old enough that they can’t tell you what to do,”

* * *

Once at the park Hebe pulled Persephone over to the swings, insisting that she push her. Artemis offered to show Eris how to shoot a bow and arrow, summoning her smallest one from her house. Hades decided to hang back on a bench and watch, where Eros joined him a few moments later. 

“So, your mom finally told you the nymph she’s had following her around was your girlfriend?”

“You knew?” Eros looked at him. “How?”

“I didn’t know it was your girlfriend, at least, I wasn’t sure. But she was in the underworld, trying to pass a mortal off as a nymph, and obviously I could tell. Based on the conversation we had, I had my suspicion. How’d you find out?”

“She told me. Once my dad came back she was done ‘punishing’ me, I guess,” Eros sighed. “With my mother, I’ve learned to just let things go. She has her moods, as I’m sure you know,”

“Trust me, I’ve noticed. Usually coincides with your father being gone,”

“Which usually coincides with my grandfather being a dick. It is what it is,” the winged god shrugged, but his face lit up when he saw his siblings being led onto the playground by Psyche, still disguised as a nymph. 

Hebe jumped off the swing at the sight of her cousins, but Eris was engrossed in what Artemis was teaching her, so she only gave a small wave before returning to her position. Eros became engrossed in watching Psyche with his siblings, so Hades made his way over to where Persephone was watching the whole scene by the swings. Standing behind her, he placed his hands gently on her hips.

“Penny for your thoughts sweetness?”

Persephone smiled, leaning back against his chest. “I’m just… happy. I never imagined my life being like this, and even with all the terrible things that have happened on the way, I’m happy where I am. Where we are,”

Hades smiled into her hair, placing a kiss on the top of her head. He took a deep breath before asking his next question. “Do you ever think… do you want this?”

She turned towards him, eyes wide in surprise. “Is one of your powers listening to my thoughts?”

“Uh… no?”

“I just… when we had dinner at Zeus and Hera’s last week, and I saw you with Hebe, I couldn’t help thinking about you like that with our own children,”

Hades grinned, unable to keep from kissing her soundly, despite the large amount of people around them and the very public place they were standing. “I keep imagining the same thing - when you’re with Hebe, the dogs, when you run your fingers through my hair. I want that with you Kore - the family, the future, everything. I want it all, forever,”

Persephone felt tears in her eyes. “You big blue softie. It’s a good thing we’re immortal then, because we really do have forever,”

Hades looked over her shoulder at their friends, noticing the telltale signs of one of Hebe’s tantrums as Storge kicked his little legs on the swing she wanted. “Sweetness, as much as I love these moments with you, I think this one was ill timed. I have to feed the little monsters before Hebe starts taking after her father,”

Persephone laughed, following his gaze. “I’ll try and intervene, why don’t you call ahead to whatever restaurant since we have 14 people,” Before he could respond, his beautiful pink goddess was flying across the playground, kneeling in front of Hebe and wiping away her tears. 

As he pulled out his phone to make the call, his mind went out to his sister in law and best friend.  _ Thank you Hera. You finally found me a wife.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all didn't think I was going to do Artemis dirty like that did you? pieces are coming together, but this installment is almost done...


	9. A Mother Knows

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone isn't feeling well. Demeter makes another visit.

Hera walked down the stairs, humming to herself as she smoked her cigarette. The mansion was quiet, with Hades having taken her daughters to the park. She decided to send a provocative message to her husband, as his reward for not causing a scene at their dinner party was a bit overdue. 

As she made her way to the bar to make herself a drink, the doorbell rang.  _ Whoever this is better be gone before Zeus gets back _ . 

Hera answered the door herself, almost jumping back in shock at the sight of Demeter standing there. “Demeter, hello, what -”

“You never answered my letter,” Demeter said bluntly, as Hera opened the door to allow the other goddess to enter the house. “So I came to request a response in person,”

“Oh,” Hera looked at her, deciding how to play this. “My apologies, I just had to discuss the matter with my husband…”

“Bunny! Where are you? I’ve been home for a full five minutes and I’m still wearing clothes!” Zeus called from up the stairs, and Hera rolled her eyes. 

“Downstairs! We have company!” Hera called back, giving an apologetic shrug to Demeter, who just scowled in response. 

“Company? Who the fu- oh! Hi Demeter,” Zeus said, waltzing into the foyer with his shirt completely unbuttoned. 

“Zeus,” Demeter said. “Well? Have you discussed it?”

“What? Oh, you mean sending Persephone back to the mortal realm. Yeah, that’s not happening,” Zeus said, shrugging it off like he was talking about some dessert he didn’t care for.

“What do you  _ mean _ , it's  _ not happening _ ?!”

“Demeter, Persephone  _ is  _ an adult, and it’s not as if anyone is forcing her to stay there…” Hera tried gently.

“I should have known!” Demeter shouted. “ _ YOU _ ,” she pointed at Zeus. “would do anything your brothers ask you to do, regardless of if it’s right or wrong because  _ you _ don’t know the difference between right and wrong. And  _ YOU,”  _ she pointed at Hera. “Just do whatever he says because you don’t even have a mind of your own anymore!”

Hera frowned. “Demeter, I can think for myself. Hades and Persephone are happy, and good to each other. If you have proof otherwise, I will listen. But if you’re just going to stand in my house and insult my family, you can leave,”

“Are you going to stop them?” Demeter asked, crossing her arms over her chest. 

“No. Actually, I’m probably going to marry them”

* * *

Months passed, the gods of Olympus and the Underworld grew accustomed to the changes in their lives. Hades and Persephone continued to try and learn how to find a balance between their work, friends, and their growing intimacy with each other. Hades made an attempt to be more social and smooth over his relations with Persephone’s friends, especially Artemis. Artemis herself was even willing to make an effort with the king of the Underworld, after some gentle prodding from Persephone. At first she was inclined to fake it, but a generous offer and showing of Hades’ love for his family convinced her to make it genuine. 

It was a Friday just a few weeks after their outing at the park, and Persephone and Artemis were sitting at the counter in Hades’ kitchen having tea. Hades walked in early for work, and his face immediately blushed a deep blue. 

“I’m sorry ladies, I didn’t mean to intrude. I decided to work from home this afternoon, but I did not realize you had decided to stay in,” In all honesty, Thanatos had pissed him off more than usual, and he decided to start his weekend early and burn off some frustration with his incredibly sexy girlfriend, but he couldn’t exactly say that in front of Artemis. 

“No worries love. Would you like some tea?” Persephone kissed his cheek, a twinkle in her eyes giving away that she knew he was full of shit. 

“Please. With honey, if we have any,” he said with a wink. 

Persephone rolled her eyes, busying herself with his tea. Hades turned to Artemis, unsure what to say to her without making her mad. Luckily for him, she broke the silence first. 

“Eris has really taken to archery you know. I’ve been going over almost everyday to help her practice,”

Hades smiled. “I’m glad to hear it. She’s always needed to get out more than Hera lets her, but Hebe is so content to follow Hera around I think she forgets that. I feel like archery might keep her out of trouble a bit, much the way spear fighting did for Ares,”

Artemis nodded. “She would be a fierce competitor, even at this early stage. Unfortunately there isn’t really a school or range for her,”

“I thought Olympus had one?”

Artemis scoffed, waving him off. “It’s my brother’s gym. I wouldn’t dream of sending her there. And the other facilities aren’t really set up for beginners,”

Hades eyes flashed red, but he swallowed his anger.  _ Not the time old man, not the time. _ “Is it even still open with him on the run?”

Artemis shrugged. “His trainers I’m guessing. Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy training her - she’s a good kid - but proper facilities would do us both a world of good. And I can’t enter her in a competition if she isn’t registered out of a facility,”

Hades nodded as Persephone handed him his tea, and the pink goddess turned toward her friend. “What if you started a school Artemis?”

Artemis sputtered. “Are you insane? Perse, beside the fact that there isn’t a space in Olympus left big enough for a proper range, I don’t have that kind of money. How would I accomplish that?”

“I could pay for it. And if you’re not averse, there’s a couple of empty warehouse properties in the Underworld that my company owns. I’m sure any one of them would be suitable,” Hades offered, looking to his girlfriend for support. She simply smiled into her cup, sipping her tea quietly.

“Hades, I couldn’t -”

“I would do anything for anyone I care about, and I often feel like Eris has a bit of middle child syndrome, or that she’s being unintentionally ignored because she’s so different from Hebe. And we’ve all noticed a difference since you’ve started working with her,”

“You have?”

“Artemis, before I only ever heard from my nieces when I would go over to visit. Last week Eris  _ called me, _ ”

It took a few days of convincing, but Artemis finally agreed to open an archery school in the Underworld. Hades kept his hands out of it, simply signing the checks and showing up to support his niece. Persephone was a little more involved, helping Artemis decide on decor, equipment, and staffing needs. Once opened, Artemis’ gym and archery school not only had a shooting range, but a rock wall, half track, and snack bar, and was a safe space for the young women of the immortal realms to explore their athleticism without judgement or fear for their safety. 

And if the purple goddess grew a soft spot for the king of the Underworld, well, nobody had to know about that. 

Least of all him. 

* * *

One day, on his way home from work, he stopped into the gym to see Persephone and Eris, but was surprised to see his girlfriend wasn’t hanging around the front desk like she normally was. Peeking around the safety wall, he leaned against the doorway to watch Eris practice. 

“Nice form girl, but you gotta lift your elbow closer to your ear. You’re starting off good but you’re dropping it before your release,” Artemis said, handing Eris a bottle of water. “Take a break and say hi to your uncle so he stops lurking, and then we can go again,”

Hades opened his arms and Eris gave him a gentle hug. “Hey Eris, looking good,” he said, kissing the top of her head gently. He looked up at Artemis. “No one else here?”

“I closed the range so those competing on Saturday could have some private shooting time, but most were here earlier,”

“You’re coming, right Uncle?” Eris looked up at him hopefully.

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, kiddo. I’ll be sure to make a big sign to embarrass you too,” her winked at his niece, who’s eye roll was softened by the bright smile that lit up her face. “Is Persephone here?”

Artemis shook her head. “She brought me some lunch, but she said she wasn’t feeling well and went home to lay down. I’m surprised she didn’t text you,”

“She’s been exceptionally tired all week, and had a headache yesterday. She might be coming down with something and didn’t want to worry me,” Hades scratched the back of his head nervously. “I’ll let you ladies get back to your practice. See you on Saturday!” he gave a small wave to Artemis and his niece before heading back to his house. 

Once he arrived, Hades was surprised that he wasn’t greeted by his many dogs, until he made his way up the stairs and found most of them sitting in front of the door to his bedroom. “Hey guys,” he said softly, petting each of their heads gently. “Moms not feeling great, huh?”  _ Mom? Since when do you refer to her as their mom? _

Hades waded through the sea of fur and fluff to his bedroom, where his tiny pink girlfriend looked even smaller than normal, curled up as she was in the middle of his bed. Cerberus was lying next to her, his heads only lifting at the sound of the door opening. 

“Down boy, it’s just me. I’m not going to hurt her,” 

Cerberus huffed out through his noses, laying his head on her side protectively, and Hades rolled his eyes as he kicked off his shoes. “Seriously? It’s my bed. Go lay with your brothers and sisters, daddy wants to cuddle mom,” 

Cerberus let out a low whine, but moved off the bed, if a little reluctantly. 

* * *

Persephone woke up extremely warm, practically sweating. She noticed two strong blue arms around her middle, her boyfriend’s even breath on her neck. With some finesse, she managed to wiggle out of his hold, but was unsuccessful at doing so without waking him. 

“Kore?” he said, his voice gravelly with sleep.”How are you feeling?”

She grinned, leaning over the bed to kiss his cheek. “Better, definitely less tired. Also hungry,”

“Any idea what you want for dinner?” he asked, rubbing his eyes as he got out of bed. 

“Um…. yeah. Banana ice cream,”

“Banana ice cream?”

“Yeah! With chocolate and walnuts. And maybe some graham crackers,”

Hades laughed a little, going to wrap his arms around her waist. “That's very specific. And not exactly dinner,”

Persephone buried her face in his chest, her face heating up and tears springing to her eyes. “I just… I just really wanted it. I’m sorry it’s stupid -”

Hades tightened his hold on her with one arm, his other hand tilting her chin up to look at him. “Hey hey hey, sweetness, I didn’t mean to upset you, I was only teasing,” He kissed the tip of her nose, making her grin through her tears. “I think I can manage some banana ice cream for dinner tonight,”

Persephone stood on her toes to kiss him chastely. “With chocolate and walnuts and graham crackers?”

“With chocolate and walnuts and graham crackers. On one condition,”

“What condition?”

“You go to the doctors tomorrow. Just to make sure you’re not coming down with anything,”

“Hades, I have trial prep tomorrow and Thanatos is sure to -”

“Fuck that lazy pain in the ass. As CEO, it’s in the company’s best interest that all it’s employees are in the best of health. As your boyfriend, I’m really concerned about you. You’re never this tired, or emotional. And I need you to be in good health for Eris’ competition this weekend so I don’t kill my brother for screwing something up. Or just screwing something,”

Persephone nodded, taking his hand and pulling him towards the door.. “Alright, I’ll go to the doctors tomorrow. Can we get ice cream now?”

Hades laughed, allowing her to drag him from their room. “Yes sweetness, lead the way,”

* * *

Demeter paced in front of the reception desk outside Hades’ office, clearly agitated and making the young, pale blue nymph that was his PA very nervous. “How much longer?” she barked at him, not for the first time since she’d gotten there. 

“I-I-I’m not sure, ma’am. He was in trial today, so I haven’t been able to reach him to let him know that you’re here,”

“Well try again! What kind of -”

“Demeter!” Hecate interrupted her, giving the nymph a slight head nod to indicate he should leave. “What are you doing here? I haven’t heard from you in ages,”

“Unfortunately friend I’m not here on a social call. I need to speak with Hades,” Demeter scowled, spitting out his name like it was a dirty word. 

“Really? What about? Perhaps I can help,” Hecate offered, gesturing to her office. 

“Unless you can convince him to return my daughter to me, I don’t think you can,”

“Return your daughter? Demeter you make it sound like Persephone doesn’t have free will to come and go as she pleases,”

“Well she obviously doesn’t or she would have come home already!”

“I think -”

“Eddard, can you see if Persephone - Oh, hello ladies,” Hades called out as he rounded the corner, the site of Demeter and Hecate in front of his office catching him off guard. “Demeter, I didn’t realize you were here. My apologies, I was in trial,”

“See if Persephone what Aidoneus? Tried to escape?” Demeter questioned, her face steeling into an expression of raw anger.

Hades sighed, leading both women into his office. He was grateful Hecate followed, for he could use her support. He waited for both women to sit on the couch before he spoke. “Sito, I told you the last time I saw you I didn’t steal her. Kore told you herself she wanted to stay here. I was only checking with my assistant to see if she called because she went to the doctors today,”

“Kore went to the doctors? Why? Is she hurt? Is she okay?” Demeter rushed through her questions, reaching for Hecate’s hand. 

_ Breathe Hades. It’s her mother, and she’s just worried. The best thing to do is tell her the truth.  _ “She’s okay - just been a bit under the weather. I suggested she get checked out because she is supposed to come with me to my niece’s archery competition this weekend and Eris would be disappointed if we both weren’t there,”

Demeter nodded, her expression softening just a bit. “I didn’t know you took an interest in your brother’s children,”

“Hades has always been a doting uncle. It just takes getting to know him to see that,” Hecate murmured, patting Demeter’s hand gently. 

“I don’t want to fight with you Sito,” Hades said, opting to sit on a chair across from the women instead of behind his desk.  _ Be open, and friendly. What would Kore want you to do?  _ “I think we’re better off just having a rational conversation,”

* * *

Persephone waited for the elevator to take her to floor 99 rather impatiently. She needed to talk to Hades, and she didn’t want to wait for him to get out of work. The weight of both her excitement and nervousness was heavy and she was having trouble breathing properly because of it. 

As she walked out of the elevator into the lobby between Hecate and Hades’ offices, she noticed Hades’ PA was a little paler than normal. “Ed, is everything okay?” Persephone asked as she reached the desk. 

“Um, well you see miss -”

“HOW DARE YOU TELL ME WHAT IS RIGHT FOR MY CHILD? I CREATED HER! I KNOW WHAT SHE WANTS AND WHAT SHE NEEDS, NOT YOU!”

“YES DEMETER BECAUSE KEEPING SECRETS AND SMOTHERING HER IS DEFINITELY WHAT SHE NEEDS!”

Persephone’s eyes widened as she heard the argument between her mother and her boyfriend. “Ed, why don’t you take an early lunch? I’ll have Hades call you when he wants you to come back,”

“Miss, I don’t want him to be angry with me…”

“Don’t worry, he won’t be. It’s just my mother being herself, and you shouldn’t have to listen to that. Go on,”

Eddard didn’t have to be told a third time, gathering his things and scurrying into the elevator before Persephone had gathered her wits to enter the office. The yelling hadn’t stopped, but it was impossible to make out what either person was saying as they tried to yell over each other. Taking a deep breath to strengthen her resolve, she pushed open the door to Hades office to find her boyfriend and her mother in each other’s faces, and Hecate sitting on the couch on her phone. 

“Um, excuse me?” Persephone said, trying to grab their attention, but it didn’t work. She looked at Hecate, who looked back at her, then at Demeter and Hades. 

“Oh for Fates’ sake,” she muttered, clapping her hands loudly twice. “Hey! Turn around, the person you’re fighting about has arrived,”

Demeter and Hades turned to her simultaneously, Hades taking a step back as his face fell, ashamed she had seen him like that. Demeter on the other hand, looked thrilled. 

“Kore! Little bean -”

“No, Mama, don’t you ‘Little bean’ me. Why are you here?”

“Well you didn’t answer my letter so I assumed - “

“What? That Hades didn’t let me?” When Demeter didn’t answer, Persephone realized that’s  _ exactly _ what she had been thinking. “Mama, I didn’t respond because there was nothing to say. You and I don’t agree on this, so we were waiting for you to make good on your threat to go to Zeus and Hera before we did anything else,”

Demeter’s face flushed, and Persephone could tell it was from both anger and embarrassment. “I did talk to Hera, but she was useless! She’s always had a soft spot for Aidoneus…”

“Mother, I’m sure she told you what we’ve all been telling you. No one is keeping me here. I’m happy here, because this is where I belong,”

“You belong in the mortal realm! You’re a flower goddess, your powers are all to do with plants and life -” Demeter pleaded with her daughter, but was cut off.

“That’s not entirely true, and everyone in this room knows that,” Persephone said, locking eyes with Hades. 

Demeter caught the look between the two gods. “No, Kore, you didn’t. I told you -”

“That he would be angry? That he wouldn’t want me anymore? Well you were wrong. Turns out I have these powers for a reason. I told you, this is where I belong,”

“Little bean, please,” Demeter stepped forward grabbing both of Persephone’s hands in hers. Once she touched her, all words died on her tongue. Tears began to fill her eyes, as the goddess of the harvest, and all things that grow, was able to sense what had been ailing Persephone all week. “No. Sweet girl, tell me I’m wrong,” she whispered, tears slipping down her cheeks. 

Persephone gave her mother a sad smile. “You know you’re not,” she whispered back. 

“Is it -”

“It is,” 

Demeter broke down into loud, angry sobs. “How could you do this!? Everything I taught you, everything we’ve worked for, and you’ve thrown your entire life away for what? Some  _ man _ ?”

“I have thrown nothing away. I never wanted what you wanted for me. But I found my own way, mama. I found happiness,”

“You were meant to be a sacred virgin! The purest of all of them!”

“It was never meant for me. The Fates told me themselves,” Persephone reached for her mother again, but the green goddess turned and smacked Hades across the face, catching all everyone by surprise. 

“YOU! THIS IS YOUR FAULT! YOU’VE RUINED HER, JUST LIKE YOU AND YOUR BROTHERS RUIN EVERYTHING YOU TOUCH!” Demeter screamed, raising her hand to slap him again. 

“ **No.** ” Persephone grabbed her mother’s wrist, stopping her from hitting Hades again. “Don’t you dare! He has done nothing wrong Mama! The only thing he is guilty of is loving me!”

“He spilled his seed into you! You’re growing his, his… his spawn!”

“Enough! It is not a spawn, it is  _ our _ child! Mother I chose to have sex with him and I fucking enjoyed it!” Persephone screamed at her mother, fed up with the theatrics and hysterics her mother had been throwing at them for months now. “I am an adult. You can either choose to accept it, or not. But you have to choose to accept that I am with Hades, or you lose me. And you lose your grandchild too,”

“Kore…”

Persephone put her hand up to stop her mother from speaking. “Luckily we’re immortal so you have some time to think about it. For now I think you should go,” 

Demeter looked at her child, clearly heartbroken that the day had, once again, not turned out the way she wanted. She turned back to Hecate, only to find her holding the door open for her. With one last look at Persephone, she made her way out of Tower 1 and back to the mortal realm. 

Hades had not spoken since Persephone walked in, and had not moved since Demeter slapped him. After asking Hecate to grab some ice, Persephone reached up and gently placed her hand on his cheek. “Love? Are you still here with me?”

Hades looked down at her, tears filling his eyes. “Is it true?” he whispered, and Persephone cocked her head in confusion. 

“How hard did my mother hit you?”

Hades chuckled as tears spilled down his cheeks. “Forget about that. Is it true?”

“Is what true?”

“Are you pregnant? Are we going to have a baby?”

Persephone grinned, reaching into her purse to pull out the ultrasound photo they had given her at the doctors office. “We are,” she said, her hands shaking as she handed him the picture. She was still nervous at his reaction. She remembered the day at the park, where they talked about what they wanted for their future, but right now? Was this the right time? She waited on bated breath as Hades stared at the little picture in his hand. 

“Now I know why your mother calls you little bean,” he whispered, before dropping to his knees in front of her, laughing a deep, joyous laugh as tears streamed down his face. 

“So you’re happy?” she asked.

Hades kissed her lips before sitting back on his heels to kiss her belly. “Ecstatic. Elated. Over the moon,” he said between kisses. He looked up at her. “Are you okay? About your mother?”

“She’ll get over it.. If she loves me half as much as I already love our baby, she’ll get over it,” Persephone ran a hand through his hair, smiling as tears fell down her cheeks. “I’m afraid you’ll have to put up with about seven more months of weird dinner requests,”

“Sweetness, I would put up with nine thousand more years of weird dinner requests if it meant we were having a child together. You’ve made me the happiest god in all the realms,”

“I think you’re the second happiest,” she said softly, grabbing his hands so he could stand up and hold her properly. 

“Oh?”

“Because I have to be the happiest,”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did y'all see the twist coming? Do we like the twist? Are we excited for this to be over so I can start part 2? Let me know in the comments :D


	10. All I've Ever Known

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Persephone and Hades attend Eris' archery competition, and then they return home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it folks! This is the final chapter in the first installment in the series. I apologize it took me so long to get this up - I had a multitude of life things happen that just got in the way. If you received a reply to your comment last week saying the chapter would be up that day or something to that effect... I'm so sorry. I fully intended for that to be the case. Hopefully you are all happy with how this ends, and will stick with me into the next three intallments.

Hades watched with loving eyes as Persephone’s palpable happiness filled the entire car as she drove them home. Hades was a little stunned by the events of the morning, so Hecate sent them both home with strict orders to get some rest so they were both useful on Monday. 

As Persephone pulled into the garage, Hades grabbed her hand. “Sweetness, are you happy?”

Persephone smiled at him, and gave his hand a little squeeze. “Absolutely. Why do you ask?”

Hades kissed the back of her hand, watching his thumb moving over the back of it rather than meeting her gaze. “I just don’t want you to feel stuck with me, for any reason, I mean… I guess I just don’t know what you see in me sometimes. And I know you say you love me, but I wonder if love is enough? Because I love you so much more than I could ever tell you, but I would give it all up if I made you unhappy,”

“Aidoneus, please. Don’t listen to what my mother said. I  _ am _ happy, and I’m choosing, on my own terms, to stay with you. To start a family, with  _ you _ . You are more than enough for me. And when you don’t see it, I’ll remind you,”

Hades finally looked up, and saw the most tender expression on her face. “What did I ever do to deserve such goodness as you?”

Persephone giggled, leaning over the gear shift to kiss him. “Well you did wait an  _ awfully  _ long time,” she grinned. 

Hades groaned. “Please don’t remind me. It makes me feel old,”

Persephone kissed him again. “Come on, let’s go in and relax,”

* * *

Eris’ competition was to be held in Olympus, and though neither Persephone nor Hades really wanted to travel up to the city, they would never disappoint the teenager that way. True to his word, Hades (with Persephone’s help) crafted a large, hand painted banner that said “LETS GO ERIS” in bright purple letters, with yellow and orange stars drawn around it. It was so long that it took Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades to hold it up, and though Eris rolled her eyes, Persephone caught her smirk as she turned away. The royal family took up almost an entire section of the bleachers, with the three kings, Hera, Amphitrite, Persephone, Ares, Aphrodite, Eros, Psyche, Hebe, Athena, Hesphaestus, and half of Aphrodite’s children all present. 

The young goddess did well, coming in fourth place against twenty two competitors in the teen league, but one would have thought she had won gold in the Olympic Championship for how excited and proud she was. She ran to her mother first, and showed off the medal to her dad who kissed her forehead, but it was Hades she hugged the longest. 

“Thank you Uncle,” she whispered into his shoulder as he held her. Hades kissed the top of her head. 

“Whatever for kid? You did all the hard work,”

Eris looked at him with a serious expression. “I know you helped Artemis open the gym. And I know you did it for me,” Hades looked at the young goddess with his mouth hanging up. He had no idea how to respond. “I wouldn’t have been able to compete today if you hadn’t. So thanks. I love you,” she smiled at him, then looked up at Persephone. “And you too, Persephone. Thanks for always being there. And for making my uncle happy,”

Hades had tears in his and hugged his niece closer. “I thought you were the agent of chaos. Aren’t you supposed to annoy me or something?” he chuckled, his voice gravelly with emotion. 

“I’ve been learning there’s two sides to every coin. And I can create just as much chaos by being sincere as being annoying. Look how choked up you are!” 

All the adults just laughed as Eris ran to show her sister and cousins her medal. Persephone gently placed a hand on Hades shoulder. “I’m sorry dear, but I’m afraid your reputation as the cold, unfeeling, King of the Underworld was just tarnished when your thirteen year old niece made you cry,” she teased as he stood. 

Poseidon whooped with laughter. “Please, we’ve known he’s a big softie for centuries! You should have seen him the first time Ares cried,”

Hades rolled his eyes as Ares crossed his arms across his chest smugly. “Aw, so you do love me, huh Uncle Hades?”

“Once upon a time I may have thought you were tolerable,” he said, wrapping his arms around Persephone, partly to keep his hands occupied so he didn’t punch one of his family members for being utterly embarrassing. 

“Oh? And what happened?” Eros asked, his wings fluttering excitedly at the thought of gossip.

“He learned to speak,”

Laughter rolled through the group once more, except for Ares, who grumbled a little. Hades’ was startled by a small pinch to the back of his hand, realizing he had unconsciously began to move them to rest on top of Persephone’s stomach. He’d be doing that all day, even though they had discussed waiting to tell their friends and family, and he could tell Persephone was getting a little annoyed with him. He leaned forward to kiss her temple, hoping his apology was evident. He was just so damn excited. 

Ares and some of the cousins decided to head back to Zeus and Hera’s for a celebratory lunch, but Hades and Poseidon politely declined. 

“Amphi and I have to get back to the kids. They’ve almost certainly destroyed something by now,“ Poseidon said, and Hera only nodded grimly. She was well aware of how destructive her nieces and nephews could be when they set their minds to it. 

“Unfortunately Kore and I have to head back to the Underworld. We have a complicated trial on Monday and you know Thanatos has been useless with research. I’m not sure what I’d do if I didn’t have Kore to help me,” Hades said, his voice a little shaky.

Zeus cocked an eyebrow in response. “Still choked up by my daughter’s appreciation brother?”

“Oh leave him alone, Zeus. You’re just picking on him because there’s nothing better to do,” Though Hera’s words were stern, her eyes held a knowing sparkle, like she knew Hades was lying and exactly why. Persephone looked up at him in confusion, but stayed quiet through their goodbyes. 

It wasn’t until nearly halfway through the trip back to the Underworld when Persephone finally spoke, her hand resting on her still flat belly as she stared out the window. “Why did you lie?” she asked without looking at him. “There aren’t any trials on Monday, much less a complicated one,”

Hades gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, not wanting to give away that his palms were sweating. “I just thought we both wanted to get out of Olympus. Plus my family can be a lot to handle and you’ve been so tired lately,”

“Oh. Okay,” she said softly, leaning back in her seat. “I guess that’s okay then,”

Hades felt a small twinge of guilt. He wasn’t being totally honest with her, and he hoped it would be worth it in the end. “Are you sure? I don’t want you to be upset, sweetness,”

“Yes I’m sure. Sorry, I’m trying to keep the mood swings under control, but I’m giving myself whiplash inside my brain,”

He chuckled softly. “I’m sort of glad I can’t get pregnant. I can’t imagine how difficult it is,”

Finally, Persephone looked over at him and smiled. “It’s not that difficult when I have you,”

* * *

Once home, Hades tried to convince Persephone to take a nap, but she insisted she wasn’t tired. He seemed a little put out by this, which confused her even more. 

“Are  _ you _ okay, love? You’re acting very strange,” she said, placing a hand gently on his cheek. 

Hades closed his eyes and unconsciously leaned into her touch. “I’m perfectly fine. Just worried about you,” he whispered, leaning forward to kiss her. 

Persephone hummed with approval at his affection. “There’s nothing to worry about. How about I pop over to the store and grab some supplies to make baklava tonight. Maybe you can go for a run or swim while I’m gone to decompress for a bit?” 

Hades grinned at that. “That sounds like a perfect idea love. Have I told you lately how utterly brilliant you are?”

Persephone rolled her eyes. “Flattery will get you nowhere, and you know that,”

“It isn’t flattery if it’s a fact, my love,”

Persephone blushed a deep magenta. “Okay, I’m leaving now. I love you,”

“I love you too!” he called after her as she grabbed the keys and left the house again. 

* * *

Persephone walked into the kitchen through the garage door, and was surprised that she wasn’t greeted by a horde of dogs or her handsome blue boyfriend.

“Hades?” she called out, setting the grocery bags on the counter. When she didn’t receive a response, she assumed he had taken her advice and gone for a swim or run, so she made her way upstairs to curl up with a book until he returned. 

She was shocked to see Cerberus sitting at the base of the staircase, patiently waiting with a note attached to his collar. 

“Oh hello good boy!” she squealed as she rubbed his head. “I’ve missed you lately. We haven’t had as many cuddles as Mama would like,” she said, kissing his nose. “Is this for me?”

Cerberus barked happily, one of his tongues coming out and licking her face as she took the note from his collar. She instantly recognized Hades’ neat script. 

_ Sweetness,  
_ __ I have a surprise for you. Cerberus will lead you, he knows the way.   
_ I love you,  
_ __ Hades

Persephone smiled. “Are you going to bring me to your dad?”

Another happy bark, and Cerberus was leading Persephone through the expansive house to a wing she hadn’t even known existed before. Suddenly, they were standing at the end of a corridor with a large stone door. 

For some unknown reason, Persephone was suddenly quite nervous. She knew neither Hades nor Cerberus would ever lead her to harm, but it was if she could feel she was on the precipice of a very important moment, should she choose to open the door in front of her. 

It didn’t help that she had no idea what lay behind it. 

With a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside, and immediately gasped. The walls were lined with a light wood paneling, and the entire ceiling was a skylight that showed the beautiful Underworld night sky. There were large troughs filled with dirt in different shapes scattered around the floor, and every wall was lined with tall shelving units filled with all sizes, shapes, and colors of pots.

It was a garden. And he made it for her.

“Hades, this is…”

“Do you like it?” he asked excitedly. “I had Hecate help me magically expand the house, and then I’ve been having the installers come over while you’re at school. And look!” He walked over to the wall the door was on, where she now noticed there was a panel of buttons. “You can close the skylight, and these lights will mimic the sun. They’re called grow lights, and they’re very effective for plants. And this one controls the sprinkler system, if you need it, since I don’t know exactly how your magic works,” he said, suddenly nervous that Persephone hadn’t spoken yet. “I know the walls are wood, I thought you’d like the look of it better…”

“Hades -”

“But don’t worry the walls are completely waterproof sealed, I made sure it was double and triple checked before I showed it to you -”

“Hades -”

“And I know it looks bare now, but I didn’t want to plant anything, since I figured you would want to do that -”

“Hades!” Persephone nearly shouted, trying to get him to stop rambling. He stared at her sudden outburst, the excitement beginning to fall from his face. “It’s perfect,”

That boyish grin suddenly appeared back in full force as he walked over to her. “Yeah?”

“Absolutely. You did all this for me?”

“I would do anything for you,” he breathed, kissing her gently. “I want you to feel at home here,”

Persephone grinned. “Thank you,” she leaned back up to kiss him, but he stepped away and knelt down on one knee. Persephone brought both hands to cover her mouth as tears welled in her eyes. Hades reached into his pocket and opened up the velvet box containing the ring he had crafted for Persephone himself. 

“Persephone, all I’ve ever known, my entire life, is how to fend for myself. I’ve had to hold my own for so long, I didn’t know any other way. It was like… standing out in the cold so long you forget what cold feels like. I was alone for so long, I didn’t even know I was lonely. It’s how it’s always been. 

When you came into my life, it was like waking up from a lifelong dream. It was like being in the dark and suddenly someone turned on the brightest light I’d ever experienced. My entire life has been cold and dark, and yet here you are, my sun, my warmth. Everything is bright and warm when you are with me, and I forget how dark and cold my life is without you. Now I want to hold you, and hold you close forever. You’re my entire world Persephone, and I want to hold the world in my arms for the rest of our immortal lives. Will you be my wife, my queen? Will you marry me?”

Persephone took a deep breath to steady herself, and stepped closer to the god kneeling before her. Placing her hands on his shoulders, she looked into his eyes as she began to speak. “Hades, you were the first person in this world to treat me like a person. Not Demeter’s daughter, not a flower goddess, or an heiress, or the face on their cereal box, or any of the other hundred things people knew me as before I knew myself. You treated me as me. I felt as if I knew you before we even met, when I saw you talking with your brothers at that stupid party when I first got to Olympus. There was something about you that made me feel as if I knew you - maybe not your favorite color, or the way you take your coffee, or even your name, but I knew your soul. A good man, a safe haven. I don’t know how, or why the fates brought us together - I mean, who am I that I should get to hold you? That I should get to hold your heart?” Hades opened his mouth to respond, but Persephone shook her head. She wasn’t done. “All I know is your soul is meant to be with mine, and I will spend every day trying to make you feel as loved and cherished as you make feel. So yes, Hades, I will marry you,”

Hades also had tears running down his face by the time Persephone had finished speaking. She had seen him at the Panathenaea? And she felt as he did, even back then? He was unable to form words, his heart was so full of joy, so he settled for kissing her solidly as he slipped the ring onto her finger. “I love you. I love you. Fates, do I love you,” Hades kept whispering over and over again as he kissed the beautiful goddess that was soon to be his wife. For her part, Persephone held on to, determined not to let him go as she had never felt happier in her entire life. 

For one small moment, everything was right with the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much to everyone who has left comments and kudos on this work. This is my first multi chapter fic I have ever been able to finish. I am so grateful for everyone who has supported me through it. Please subscribe to the series so you know when the next parts come out!
> 
> xoxo  
> Rissa


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